WakeMed officer fatally shot | Alien arrested on Maryland statutory rape charges | Residency challenge in narrow mayoral race
No. 149 — Nov. 2-Nov. 8, 2025
ICYMI: Analysis of Municipal Election Results
Democrats won the significant majority of municipal races on Tuesday’s municipal elections. Although the Democrats were strongly favored to win based on the electoral makeup of the majority of those races, they did achieve a significant victory by sweeping the mayors and board positions in Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina, the two largest municipalities in the Triangle where registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats (by a small margin):
Democrats Sweep Municipal Elections: GOP Failure?
Tuesday’s municipal elections were as dismal for Republicans locally as they were nationwide, with results such as only one of the Wake GOP’s twenty-two endorsed candidates achieving electoral victory being attributed by party leadership to fallout from the “Schumer Shutdown.”
Election protest filed over residency in razor-thin mayoral race
Residency challenge emerges in Kenly mayoral race after provisional ballots change outcome - ABC11
Residency Challenge Filed After Two Ballots Change Kenly Mayor’s Race - JoCo Report
Recount Confirms One-Vote Margin In Kenly Mayor’s Race As Residency Challenge Advances - JoCo Report
The apparent winner of the mayoral election in Kenly, Councilman Keith Davis, has been formally accused of by a citizen of no longer being a resident due to the fact that he left his job as a high school teacher in the Johnston County Public Schools for a position as senior pastor at Bethel AME Church in Georgetown, SC, which appears to be confirmed by his Linkedin profile.
“It is my understanding that he spends the majority of his time working in SC,” wrote David Grady in the complaint. “He should have been ineligible to serve since he took residence in South Carolina, and should have been ineligible to run for Mayor.”
Although Davis initially appeared to be leading incumbent Mayor H.L. “Tooie” Hales by 97–89, the correction of a computing error by discovered by Wilson County election officials reduced his vote total by nine votes, indicating a slim victory for Hales at 89–88, only for two accepted provisional ballots to reverse the one-vote lead in Davis’ favor to 90–89, at which it currently stands.
The Johnston County Board of Elections has voted unanimously to hold a formal hearing on the residency protest, which will occur on Nov. 19 at 4 p.m.
Kenly is a small town on the eastern border of Johnston County, extending into Wilson County, with a population of 1,491 as of 2020 and 790 registered voters as of the 2025 election (312 Democrat 223 Republican).
Kenly made national news in 2022 when the entire police department resigned due to conflicts with the newly hired town manager. (The manager was fired the next month.)
ICE detainer issued for Raleigh resident wanted for statutory rape in Maryland
Juan Alexander Romero-Zelaya, 25, has been arrested in Raleigh on charges of illegally carrying a concealed handgun and discharging a firearm in city limits, as well as an extradition warrant for statutory rape in Maryland.
According to court records, an arrest warrant was issued for Romero-Zelaya in 2023 on two counts of second degree assault and two counts of second degree rape (which includes statutory rape of a victim under the age of 14 under Maryland law) for crimes allegedly taking place in 2019-2020.
Romero-Zelaya is being held on a total a total bond of $502,000, with the bond documents noting the flight risk, the Maryland charges, and the fact that his “citizenship or legal residency cannot be affirmatively determined.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued a detainer and administrative warrant for Romero-Zelaya, requiring him to be held 48 hours after he would otherwise be released from Wake County custody.
On-duty policy officer fatally shot at WakeMed hospital
Man accused of killing WakeMed police officer was also shot in altercation, Garner police say - ABC11
Garner WakeMed shooting: Officer killed, suspect also shot during ‘struggle’ - WRAL
WakeMed shooting update: NC officials, governor mourn WakeMed officer killed; suspect also shot in ER scuffle - CBS17
Suspect was wounded in fatal hospital shooting of WakeMed police officer - N&O
On Saturday morning, WakeMed Campus Police Officer Roger Smith was fatally shot during a “struggle” in the lobby of the Garner HealthPlex hospital, according to Garner Police.
The 59-year-old Smith was a 14 year veteran of the WakeMed Police, after serving 16 years at the Knightdale Police Department, and has been haled as a “hero” for putting his life on the line while “protecting patients and their families.”
Benji Martin Jr., 29, who was also shot during the altercation, has been charged with murder; the exact details of the incident are unclear.