Deputies investigate after victim discovered with gunshot wound

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide that occurred Tuesday night on Minor Road in the town of Edward.

At 12:15 a.m. the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a passing motorist who had seen a vehicle off-road, in a ditch and stopped to investigate. According to Major Kenneth Watson, Aurora Fire and EMS arrived at the scene and found a deceased male with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. The victim was identified as Bobby Ray Buck, 33, a resident of Hall Avenue in Aurora, and formerly of Tranquility Lane in Blount’s Creek.

The motorist called in what looked to be a car accident.

“(He) saw the vehicle, checked the driver and reported a vehicle accident with an injury,” Watson said, referring to the initial 911 call.

Sheriff’s Office investigators have identified a suspect in Buck’s homicide, but because of the ongoing investigation, are unable to release any information as to whom Buck was with or why he was at the location, Watson explained.

“We’re following up on a lot of information. We’ve identified a suspect and hope to have additional information to release soon,” he said.

Buck attended Aurora High School and received his G.E.D. from Beaufort County Community College. According to Lt. Jamie Cahoon of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations unit, Buck was unemployed, but “did odds and ends jobs for people in the community.”

Buck’s run-ins with law enforcement date back to 1998 when he was charged with the first of five DWIs. He served 22 months in prison for a 2004 conviction of indecent liberties with a minor. Buck’s most recent arrest was on Jan. 29 of this year, in which he was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and simple possession of schedule IV controlled substance. His court date had been rescheduled to April 3.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 946-7111 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at (252) 974-6400. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in this case.