25 January 2023
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The man wanted in connection with death of an elderly Home Depot employee after an October shoplifting incident was arrested Tuesday by the Hillsborough Police Department.
Terry McMillian Jr. was arrested without incident Tuesday morning in the death of 82-year-old Gary Rasor, by the Hillsborough Police Department, along with the State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force in conjunction with the Durham County and Orange County sheriff’s offices.
Gary Rasor (left) in a family photo. The suspect and Rasor on the ground (right) in a photo from Hillsborough Police Dept.
Rasor, an employee of the Hillsborough Home Depot off of Hampton Pointe Boulevard, was injured Oct. 18 after he attempted to stop McMillian from shoplifting, police said. He was injured as the man, later identified as McMillian, was leaving the store’s garden area without paying for a shopping cart of three pressure washers, police said.
Surveillance video released by the store shows McMillian pushing Rasor to the ground, resulting in Rasor breaking multiple bones, according to police.
Rasor later died Nov. 30 due to complications from the injuries he received.
The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.
Police previously called McMillian a “menace to society” in a news release for the theft and injury of Rasor.
After CBS 17 spoke to Rasor’s family, his wife, Yovone, said Rasor stepped in against the “menace” because her husband recognized McMillian as a repeat shoplifter.
“He knows the guy is a thief. He’s been there, he’s seen him in the store before,” Yovone previously told CBS 17. “And what he told me was that sometimes the guy will buy one or two items so he has a receipt, and then he’ll add more stuff to his cart and flash the receipt.”
McMillian has been charged with first-degree murder and robbery and is currently being held in the Orange County jail, the Town of Hillsborough said.
“We are glad we were able to bring some closure to this case and are very appreciative of the family’s patience and support,” Hillsborough Police Chief Duane Hampton said. “This was a team effort involving many of our local criminal justice partners, the SBI and the public.”