Charges filed in parking lot homicide in Asheboro

ASHEBORO — Charges have been filed and a grand jury returned an indictment in the case of a shooting death in an Asheboro parking lot.

Branson Russell has been charged with second-degree murder stemming from the Aug. 30 incident.

Alexander Benitez-Hernandez, 23, died from a gunshot wound to the back, Asheboro police said. Police issued a correction from an earlier release that said the deceased was struck in the upper chest.

A grand jury in Randolph County convened Sept. 8. Russell was taken into custody Sept. 9, served with the indictment and jailed with no bond.

Russell, 43, is from Denton.

“Understandably, this case has attracted much attention,” Asheboro Police Department said in a statement. “From the moment this investigation began, the goal was to conduct a proper and thorough investigation. Such investigations often take a considerable amount of time. … Naturally, this caused many people on social media to speculate on the facts of the case, make erroneous claims, and otherwise spread inaccurate and outright false information, which hampers the investigative process. To those who refrained from rushing to judgment and patiently waited for the investigation to conclude, your patience is appreciated.”

Asheboro Police said the investigation determined that Benitez-Hernandez and Russell had a verbal altercation inside Marshalls, which along East Dixie Drive. Outside, another confrontation took place, with both men with handguns, police said.

Benitez-Hernandez shot Russell in the lower leg and fled toward his vehicle. Russell retrieved a .30-30 rifle from his vehicle and drove toward Benitez-Hernandez, firing a shot that struck Russell in the back.

In the week following the shooting, detectives remained in contact with Benitez-Hernandez’s family regarding the progress of the investigation, Asheboro Police said.