A Randolph County man was convicted of first-degree murder Thursday in Moore County Superior Court in connection with a 2021 shooting.
In August of 2021, deputies with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office responded to the intersection of N.C. Hwy 24-27 and Tarry Church Road, northwest of Eagle Springs, where a male subject had been found in the road with multiple traumatic injuries. Upon the arrival of deputies, Bernabe Mujica, 44, of Biscoe, had succumbed to those injuries and passed away, according to a news advisory from the Moore County Sheriff’s Department.
Shortly thereafter, Alan Shamon Thomas, 20, of Asheboro, was facing charges in connection to the incident.
According to evidence presented at trial, the events leading up to the shooting began the morning of Aug. 12, 2021, when officers with the Asheboro Police Department responded to a disturbance at the Econo Lodge motel. Officers spoke with Thomas, who reportedly told them he had accidentally fired a handgun while attempting to clean it inside his room.
Police determined the firearm was not stolen and returned it to Thomas after the motel manager asked that he be banned from the property, but declined to pursue charges, prosecutors said.
Later that day, Thomas traveled with his aunt, his uncle, and Mujica in a Nissan Altima to the home of his uncle in Denton. Security camera footage reportedly showed Thomas firing a handgun in the backyard of the home.
The group later stopped at a gun shop in Biscoe, where Thomas remained in the vehicle while the others went inside and purchased a box of 9mm ammunition, according to prosecutors.
While traveling later that evening toward Robbins, the vehicle stopped near the intersection of Tarry Church Road and U.S. Highway 24/27 in Moore County so the driver could switch with another passenger.
Prosecutors said that as the occupants exited the vehicle, Thomas fired a handgun and struck Mujica in the chest. Mujica fell to the ground, and Thomas then got into the driver’s seat and drove away, running over Mujica as he left the scene.
Emergency crews were called at about 6:07 p.m., but Mujica was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said Thomas drove away with his aunt still in the vehicle and refused to let her out.
“Thomas drove away toward Candor, NC, and Thomas’ aunt was asking him to let her out of the car,” writes Michael K. Hardin, district attorney, in a press release. “Thomas told her no and that he would ‘hold her at gunpoint’ if needed.”
She later convinced him to throw the gun from the vehicle near Candor and eventually jumped from the car when he slowed near Interstate 73.
“When Thomas’ aunt jumped out of the car, she took a bag belonging to Mr. Mujica,” continues Hardin. “Thomas’ aunt returned by foot to the area where Thomas had thrown the gun out of the car and retrieved it and placed into Mr. Mujica’s bag.”
She then called 911 and gave the bag and weapon to officers.
According to investigators, Thomas continued driving to Greensboro, where he attempted to steal another vehicle at a gas station before carjacking a running vehicle outside a Dollar General store. Prosecutors said he pushed a woman with cerebral palsy from the vehicle before driving away.
“Thomas got into the driver’s seat and told the female to get out and she said she could not because she has Cerebral Palsy, so Thomas forcefully pushed her out of the car and onto the asphalt causing minor injuries to her hands and then threw her crutch she used to help her walk at her and drove away with her car,” Hardin details. “People at the store came over to offer assistance and call 911. Officers from the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office responded and the female told them that her iPhone was still in her car and she could track it with her Apple ID. Officers logged into her Apple account and used Find My iPhone to track her vehicle.”
Law enforcement officers successfully used the victim’s cellphone tracking to locate the vehicle, and a pursuit began shortly after 9 p.m. The chase lasted about 30 minutes and reached speeds exceeding 100 mph before Randolph County deputies deployed spike strips on Interstate 73, bringing the pursuit to an end. Thomas was taken into custody at about 9:34 p.m., authorities said.
Captain Donnie Shingleton of the Moore County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Moore County District Attorney Michael K. Hardin and Assistant District Attorneys Sean D. Kennally and Brian F. Chapman.
Thomas pleaded not guilty to the charge of First-Degree Murder.
A jury on March 12 found Thomas of Asheboro guilty in the killing of Mujica following a trial that began March 2. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Michael Stone sentenced Thomas to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
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Feature photo of the scene by Sandhills Sentinel. Mugshot of Alan Thomas via Moore County Sheriff’s Office.
