Cary police ID 30-year-old man killed in shooting at apartment complex Sunday

Cary police identified a man found fatally shot Sunday morning as Eric Matthew Laird of Lacey, Washington. He was 30 years old..

Officers found Laird with multiple gunshot wounds around 7 a.m. at an apartment on the 200 block of Hampton Lee Road in Cary.

William Jameson-Reece Atkins, 29, of Cary has been arrested and charged with murder.

Police have not provided a motive for the shooting but said the men knew each other.

Atkins appeared in court Monday and was denied bail. He requested that an attorney be appointed to represent him.

If convicted, he could face a life sentence or death, a judge said.

Family members of Atkins were in the courtroom, visibly shaken. They declined to comment.

Kristen Johnson contributed to this report.

This story was originally published July 3, 2023 at 8:51 AM.