Missing
Justice Courtney Lyons
Lyons, approximately 2018; Ricky Ward
Date and time person was reported missing : 03/14/2018
Missing location (approx) :
Raleigh, North Carolina
Missing classification : Endangered Missing
Gender : Male
Ethnicity :
Black
Age at the time of disappearance: 23 years old
Height / Weight : 5'11, 175 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A black jacket, a black "I heart NY" shirt and a black bandana.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: African-American male. Black hair, brown eyes. Lyons's nickname is Gusto. At the time of his disappearance, he had a mustache, beard, and long dreadlocks that went past his shoulders.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Lyons was last seen in Raleigh, North Carolina on March 14, 2018. He has never been heard from again. He was reported missing on March 19.
On March 27, Wayne County sheriff's deputies saw Lyons's red Ford Taurus on Highway 70 and tried to stop it. The driver refused to stop and a chase resulted. Eventually the car crashed and the driver, later identified as Ricky Terrell Ward, fled the scene. There was no sign of Lyons, and investigators determined his vehicle had been stolen.
A photo of Ward is posted with this case summary. On April 26, he was arrested in Kinston, North Carolina and charged with shooting into occupied property, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. All of these charges were connected to the events of March 27; before the police chase, he had allegedly tried to a rob a couple at gunpoint, while driving Lyons's car.
In October 2018, Ward was charged with Lyons's murder and with the murder of David Demarlo Thompson, who was shot to death in Dudley, North Carolina on April 23. Ward is awaiting trial.
Lyons's body has never been found. Investigators believe he was killed in Raleigh and his body was transported to another county before being disposed of.
Other information and links : ncy
Raleigh Police Department
919-996-3335
September 2021 updates and sources
A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe.
By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends.
Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.
North Carolina Arrests
WCTI 12
ABC 11
The Goldsboro News-Argus
October 12, 2004. March 23, 2019; .
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
