5 charged with murder of Raleigh motorcyclist in New Year’s Day shooting

Police have charged five men with murder in a New Year’s Day motorcycle crash now linked to a gang out of Fayetteville.

Raleigh police initially responded to a wreck Sunday on Bayberry Lane in North Raleigh involving a man thrown from his motorcycle. But multiple neighbors reported hearing gunshots and saw bikes speeding away up to 80 mph.

Three days later, police said the man had died and they were investigating the death as a homicide.

Five men are now accused of killing the motorcyclist, identified as Jonas Barrett Padilla, 37, who died from his injuries, Raleigh Police said Friday.

The men charged are: Vidaul Rashaad Reed, 29, of Fayetteville; Martinus Jermaine Starks, 41, of Fayetteville; Anthony Edward Cheever, 33, of Garner; David William Stephens, 24, of Spring Lake; and Tyler Scott Grissom, 29, of Fayetteville.

They’re also charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy robbery with a dangerous weapon, according to arrest reports.

After separate court hearings on Friday, all the men will continue to be held in the Wake County jail without bond. No further details were provided about the killing, including motive or how Padilla may have known the five suspects.

Documents on file with arrest warrants in the Wake County courthouse identify Reed as a gang member that’s part of the Red Devils Motorcycle Club in Fayetteville.

Due to security risks, the men will return to court at separate times. Judge Mark Stevens appointed each of the men attorneys from the Capital Defender’s Office.

“I am grateful for the multi-jurisdictional collaborative efforts of law enforcement across our state to identify and arrest these suspected offenders quickly and without incident,” Chief Estella Patterson said in a news release. “The RPD will continue pursuing offenders who terrorize and harm our communities with callous and relentless violence.”

A makeshift memorial appears near the site of the shooting on Valley Estates Drive, including the name “Lefty” and the letters “GFPD.”

Kristen Johnson contributed to this report.