72-year-old suspect charged in fatal Thursday shooting in Knightdale

A 72-year-old suspect has been charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill after a shooting in Knightdale Thursday left a woman dead.

Deputies responded to a shooting on the 1200 block of Broken Arrow Court at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office said.

A woman was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. On Thursday afternoon, the sheriff’s office identified her as Jessica Wells and said she died from her injuries. Wells was 43.

On Saturday, the sheriff’s office announced that the 72-year-old suspect, Ronald Grizzel, had been charged with two felonies in the shooting. The two knew each other, the sheriff’s office said.

Grizzel was taken to the hospital Thursday with non-life-threatening injuries that the sheriff’s office said were not related to the shooting or arrest. The investigation is continuing

This story was originally published March 26, 2026 at 1:35 PM.