How an anonymous phone call led to a Durham man’s murder charge
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Khalil Hosch is accused of fatally shooting a man in Durham last month.
- Search warrants allege Hosch called a detective anonymously posing as a witness.
- Hosch claimed self-defense in the shooting, according to court documents.
A Durham man accused of fatally shooting another man at a local shopping center allegedly called investigators posing as an eyewitness, according to court documents reviewed by The News & Observer.
Khalil Elijah Hosch, 25, was arrested Oct. 23 on a charge of murder in the Oct. 15 death of Abdul-Jalil Burnette, 28, also of Durham. Hosch was also served with several unrelated warrants at the time of his arrest, including charges of possession of a stolen firearm and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, The N&O previously reported.
Burnette was fatally shot about 9:30 a.m. at The Village Shopping Center on North Miami Boulevard, police said. His death came less than two months after his younger brother was also killed in Durham, the men’s father told ABC11, The N&O’s newsgathering partner.
Police haven’t publicly commented on a potential motive in Abdul-Jalil Burnette’s killing, but newly released search warrants show investigators connected Hosch to the shooting after an anonymous phone call.
An ‘eyewitness’ report
Investigators got their first hint of what preceded Burnette’s killing from surveillance footage, which apparently showed Burnette and the shooter getting into an argument, according to a search warrant.
“The altercation then turns physical in which a firearm is brought into play and the victim is shot once prior to the suspect leaving the area on foot,” the warrant states.
Two hours after Burnette’s death in a hospital emergency room, a man called the detective on the case, stating “he was an eyewitness to the incident,” according to the warrant. The anonymous caller claimed the shooter was being assaulted by Burnette before the shooting occurred, but declined to give his name.
Early the next morning, the same caller reached out to the detective again, attempting to call at 2:26 a.m. and 4:22 a.m., the investigator wrote. It’s not clear why he tried to call or if he contacted anyone else, but by the time the detective arrived at work, Burnette’s family members had reached out to share their suspicion Hosch was involved, the warrant states.
Just after 10:30 a.m. Oct. 16, the investigator called back the tipster, who allegedly provided his name as Khalil Hosch, according to the warrant.
“During the conversation, K.H. confirmed to be the male involved in the incident and claimed to have acted in self-defense,” the warrant states. “K.H. confirmed to be the same male who called on the day of the incident and alleged to be an eyewitness.”
Hosch reportedly told the detective he took a bus to the shopping center that day, but left by car after the shooting, according to the warrant. Hosch claimed the gun he allegedly used was stolen by an unidentified group of people, the warrant says.
Hosch was arrested a week later and indicted on a charge of first-degree murder, court records show. He remained in the Durham County jail without bail as of Friday afternoon.
