Wilmington man pleads guilty in connection to shooting death at Walmart parking lot
A 20-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday in New Hanover Superior Court for his connection to a shooting death at a Wilmington Walmart in 2020.
Thomas Duran, who was 18 at the time, was charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He is one of several people charged in connection to the death of 17-year-old Gavin Dozier.
According to previous reports from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office for the Nov. 12, 2020, incident, detectives believe Dozier came to the parking lot of Walmart in Monkey Junction on Carolina Beach Road to buy a gun from Duran and Laron Lee Carter, another suspect. Carter was also charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting Dozier.
Previous coverage:Police: Teen was shot at Monkey Junction Walmart after gun deal gone wrong
Deputies found Dozier with wounds after getting a call around 4 p.m. about shots fired in the area. He was transported to the hospital where he later died. Dozier was a student at Cape Fear Center for Inquiry and New Hanover High School.
Duran was allegedly driving Carter's car, with Dozier in the passenger seat, and Carter in the backseat before the shooting.
They later met up with their girlfriends, Taytum Herrick and Hailey Berardi, who allegedly helped them cover up the shooting. They were charged with accessory to the fact.
Although Duran entered a plea on Monday, he was not sentenced because officials are awaiting the outcome of the co-defendants.
STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest news by signing up for the StarNews newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram.
Reporter Chase Jordan can be reached at cjjordan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Man pleads guilty for 2020 murder of 17-year-old at Wilmington Walmart
