One suspect killed, second wounded during robbery attempt

One man was killed and another wounded Monday night after police say the men tried to rob a home poker game in North Raleigh.

Brandon Dwain Shelton, 28, was killed, and Brian Matthew Onley, 23, was wounded in his right arm. Both were shot during a struggle at a home at 4809 Sweetbriar Drive.

Raleigh police say the two men entered the home brandishing guns and wearing masks. There was a high-stakes poker game going on at the time.

The house is owned by Gregg Maluchnik, 34, who was arrested Tuesday on charges of gambling, a misdemeanor. Maluchnik was released on a promise to appear and is scheduled to be in court on Sept. 22.

A neighbor, Patricia Maddox, said she often saw people showing up for the poker games during the week. The games usually happened on Mondays and Wednesdays, with Wednesday drawing the biggest crowds. Cars would line Sweetbriar Drive on that night, Maddox said.

She said she thought Maluchnik was teaching classes on how to make money.

“They were always very quiet, that’s why I thought he was teaching classes – when the whole time he was playing poker,” Maddox said.

People began showing up at the house about 8 p.m. Monday. Maddox said that about 10:30 p.m., she heard what she thought were firecrackers.

Maluchnik is a former Duke University baseball player who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves upon graduation and played on minor league teams from 1998 to 2003.

Onley was taken to WakeMed for treatment and was reported to be in fair condition Tuesday. He will face criminal charges upon his release, police said.