A teenage murder suspect was taken into custody on Friday in Raleigh.
Law enforcement said Syncere Pigford, who has an outstanding secure custody order for murder, was seen at multiple Raleigh high schools over the past two days.
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Pigford was taken into custody around noon near the intersection of North King Charles Road and Tudor Place. Raleigh police and Wake County Sheriff's Office worked together in arresting Pigford.
The end of the manhunt and Pigford's capture happened feet away from Laurie Howard's home.
"I heard someone yelling 'get on ground! Get on ground,'" Howard said. "I was shaking. It was so scary. Dozens of cars pulled in the yard."
Pigford's age has not been released, but he is younger than the age of 18, and has been referred to as a juvenile by authorities.
Pigford was wanted in connection with the June 30 shooting death of 24-year-old Serenity Spencer near Wendell.
Wake County Public Schools System sent an email to parents on Friday morning to notify them of the additional security measures, saying that Pigford had been seen on the campuses of Broughton, Enloe and Athens Drive high schools on Wednesday and Thursday. It was later clarified that Pigford was never on Athens Drive's campus.
"At each school, administrators promptly identified Pigford as a trespasser and removed him from campus. At that time, they were not aware that he was a suspect in a homicide investigation," WCPSS said in the email.
Wake County Public School System said Pigford was a student at Southeast Raleigh High School.
Xavier Don ‘Ameche Atkinson,19, and Kahlil Hahson Atkinson, 18, who are brothers, were arrested and charged with Spencer's murder. Both are charged with first-degree murder. Authorities are holding both without bond.
The brothers made a court appearance on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Wake deputies obtained a juvenile petition for a third suspect in the case.
Serenity Spencer's sister Sade Spencer told WRAL News Spencer did not know the suspects and that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin released a statement on the arrest.
"We are relieved that this person is in custody, and we are proud to have assisted the Wake County Sheriff's Office in this search," Baldwin said. "Like many parents, school staff, students and community members, I am breathing a sigh of relief that we had a peaceful resolution. I would also like to thank the Wake County Public Schools System for its partnership to keep the community safe."
Note: As law enforcement searched for Pigford in Raleigh, WRAL's Sky 5 spotted another young man being taken into custody at the same time, in the same location. Law enforcement told WRAL News they would not release the name of that person because he is under 18. They did not say what charges, if any, that person is facing.


