RCSO finds 2019 killer in jail

Richmond County detectives solved a long-standing case this week after interviewing witnesses who pointed them to a suspect who has been in custody since February.

Willie Ferrell, 42, is charged with murder in the 2019 shooting death of Dwayne Lane, 52. He has been in the Charles B. Webster Detention Center since Feb. 20 on a Superior Court warrant.

The victim was found dead in his Bayvale Road home on December 30, 2019, with gunshot wounds. Detectives interviewed witnesses but were unable to find a suspect.

In March 2020, a $1,500 reward was offered in the case, with money contributed by the victim’s family and others. But the trail remained cold until this year.

“The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division was able to locate and interview original witnesses and new witnesses in connection with the case,” sheriff’s Sgt. Walter McNeil Jr. said in a news release. “As a result, detectives were able to arrest Willie Ferrell.”

A motive was not released. The victim was remembered in an obituary as a generous spirit who enjoyed hunting and spending time with family and friends. After his death, the victim was also remembered online as a plumber and a wonderful person. He was survived by a wife and son, as well as several siblings and his parents.

The suspect was listed as homeless after his arrest on February 20. He has charges dating back to early 2023 that remain unresolved in court, including cocaine possession, first-degree burglary, obstruction of an officer and criminal trespassing.

Lane has previous convictions for assault, trespassing, shoplifting, domestic violence and unlawful conduct during a 911 call.