BOONE
A Boone pawnshop employee was found shot to death Monday night, and authorities are searching for his killer.
Jimmy Roberts, 40, was found dead in the Gold and Closeout Connection pawnshop at 499 E. King St., according to Boone police. A relative called police at about 8:30, concerned that Roberts hadn't returned home from work.
Boone police and firefighters went to check on him. When they entered the locked business, they found Roberts dead of a gunshot wound.
Police say that Roberts' pickup was missing and that items had been stolen from the store.
Authorities are searching for a suspect, John Richard Gray, 28, of Virginia Beach, Va. They said that Gray goes by "Richard" and has been known to use such aliases as "John Creasman," "John Spiker" and "Brian Simms."
He has tattoos, including "Killa" on his right arm and "KKK" on his right leg, according to Florida prison records.
Gray has been known in the past to have traveled between North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Florida.
Police said they believe that Gray left the area driving Roberts' pickup, a pewter-colored 2005 Chevrolet extended cab with a sign that reads "Yard Art." The license-plate number is 4659-AT.
Authorities aren't sure exactly what time Roberts was killed.
Gray had been in the Boone area for a week or two, police Detective Glen Kornhauser said.
Gray has a criminal history in Florida, where he has spent more than four years in prison. Records there show that he has been convicted of trafficking in stolen property, burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle and other charges. He was released by the state corrections department in February, and listed Lakeland, Fla., as his residence.
Anyone with information about where to find Gray is asked to call Boone police at 828-268-6900 or the nearest law-enforcement agency.
■ Monte Mitchell can be reached at 336-667-5691 or at mmitchell@wsjournal.com.
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