Emails give insight into former officer accused of murder

Last March, former police Officer Kwaku Riley Agyapon reached out to the Gastonia Police chief, asking for a meeting about an internal investigation. Less than three weeks later, his employment with the department ended.

Agyapon, who most recently worked at Ranlo Police Department, was arrested in January as part of an investigation that centers on his actions in the early morning hours of New Year's Day.

On that day, Agyapon, known to most in the community as Officer Riley, allegedly went to the Burlington Avenue home of 33-year-old Juan Nikely Avalo and shot Avalo in the head.

While Agyapon was off duty at the time of the killing, his interactions with Avalo stemmed from Agyapon's work as a police officer.

Agyapon had first visited Avalo's home in November while responding to a domestic dispute — Avalo was then accused of assaulting a woman.

Agyapon stayed in contact with that woman, and when Avalo found his number in her phone, the two spoke, and Agyapon wanted to set up a time to fight at a Gastonia gas station, according to search warrant affidavits.

But instead, he went to Avalo's home. When the two fought, Avalo cut him with a knife, but Agyapon is alleged to have shot Avalo after Avalo dropped the knife and tried to retreat.

Agyapon had only been with Ranlo Police Department for a little over four months at the time of Avalo's death, but he was not new to law enforcement.

Prior to his employment with Ranlo, he worked for the Gastonia Police Department, a job he started in October 2019.

Agyapon had a brush with trouble while working at the Gastonia Police Department when he was involved in an incident on a school bus.

According to Todd Hagans, a spokesman for Gaston County Schools, Agyapon was accused of impeding a school bus from continuing its route in order to question the driver about his child’s behavior on the bus and related discipline. Agyapon was charged, but his record was later expunged.

Little is known publicly about Agyapon's exit from the Gastonia Police Department, but emails released by the police offer a clue.

On Monday, March 21, 2022, Agyapon wrote an email to then-Police Chief Travis Brittain.

"Hello sir, I am reaching out to see if you have any availability this week to have a meeting," Agyapon wrote. "I know that Mondays are usually busy for admin. As for me, other than Wednesday and Thursday, I am not assigned to work another day this week. Thank you and I look forward to meeting with you."

After that, he reached out to a woman who schedules for Brittain, and they scheduled a meeting for that Thursday at 4 p.m. When asked what the meeting was about, Agyapon said it was in reference to an internal investigation.

Agyapon's formal separation date from the police department was April 9, but it appears he stopped work sooner, quitting without returning all of his equipment.

On April 5, Detective Jason Gill, the police department's quartermaster, emailed Capt. Laura Biggerstaff.

"Capt Biggerstaff, I’ve attached a copy of the equipment items that Riley still has outstanding," he wrote. "He still has 1 badge which we definitely need back. He is missing the inner fleece on his jacket. He is missing 1 radio battery and radio belt holder. I need his locker key."

Agyapon was sworn in at the Ranlo Police Department on Aug. 14.

Two months after starting his new job, he emailed Chief Jimmy Lunsford suggesting changes to the department and asking for more responsibility.

"I wanted to propose several ideas that could possibly promote interest in the department. From what I've been told, Lowery is interested in heading a traffic unit, Springs and I are interested in becoming K9 Officers, and I would also like to head a gang unit within the department if allowed," he wrote. "I am not requesting anything more than just being able to provide more to the department and increasing the available opportunities and appeal to the department for recruiting."

Agyapon was fired from the Ranlo Police Department on Jan. 10.

Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 704-869-1850 or at kfohner@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Emails give insight into former officer accused of murder