Wayne County, N.C. — Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce announced an arrest has been made in a 2024 homicide investigation that began in the Dudley community.
On Monday, October 14, 2024, at approximately 7:45 a.m., deputies with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an unresponsive person in the area of Camp Trailee Road. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a deceased individual who was later identified as Tyleem Qur’an Juemar Coleman. Investigators determined Coleman died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.
During the course of the investigation, detectives submitted numerous pieces of evidence to the North Carolina State Crime Lab for analysis. Through interviews, forensic testing, and additional investigative work, detectives identified Takari Jahkir Pridgen as a suspect in the case.
Warrants were subsequently obtained charging Pridgen with the murder of Tyleem Coleman. Pridgen was taken into custody in Lumberton, North Carolina, and transported back to Wayne County. He is currently being held in the Wayne County Detention Center without bond.
“This was a thorough and deliberate investigation, and I want to commend our detectives for their hard work and commitment to bringing this individual to justice,” Sheriff Pierce said. “While nothing can undo the loss suffered by the victim’s family, we hope this arrest brings a measure of accountability and reassurance to them and the community.”
Suspect: Takari Jahkir Pridgen
Charge: Murder
Bond: No bond
