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The Robeson County Sheriff's Office doubled the reward to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of a suspect who fatally shot a mother of six while she was on the way to the beach with her husband to celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary last week.
Julie Eberly, 47, was in the passenger seat of her husband's car in eastern North Carolina when a man driving a silver Chevrolet Malibu fired multiple rounds into their vehicle on the highway.
The mother of six was struck by one bullet and died. The suspect, described as an African American male with dreadlocks, fled the scene and took exit 22 on I-95, just north of Lumberton, North Carolina.
"The investigation has revealed a road rage encounter unknowingly developed after the victim’s vehicle came close to the suspect vehicle during a merge into a lane," the Robeson County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.
Julie Eberly, who was fatally shot in a road rage incident in North Carolina last week, is seen with her husband, Ryan Eberly, and their six children. (Sherry Wilkinson Photography)
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Ryan Eberly, who was driving the car, told Lancaster Online that the shooting happened after he merged into the suspect's lane.
"I didn’t give him the finger or beep my horn at him or anything to heighten the situation at all," he told the local news outlet.
"I looked over. The passenger window of my car was shattered. ... My immediate attention turned to my wife and, obviously, I determined she was hit and got to the shoulder as soon as I could."
Julie Eberly was on the way to the beach with her husband to celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary when she was fatally shot. (Susan Eberly)
The sheriff upped the reward to $20,000 after local residents donated money to the investigation.
"We are going to aggressively track down the driver of this vehicle," Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said in a statement. "Detectives have worked non-stop 24/7 to identify this coward. If you know who it is and who owns this car, come forward NOW."
Susan Eberly, Julie's mother-in-law, said the family has faith that authorities will identify the suspect who killed her daughter-in-law.
"Someone, somewhere knows this car and the person who did this," she told Fox News. "It is our goal to bring justice for Julie.
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The suspect's car is a silver four-door Chevrolet Malibu with North Carolina license plates that was manufactured between 2008 and 2013. The windows are tinted with chrome trimming surrounding them.
(Robeson County Sheriff's Office)
(Robeson County Sheriff's Office)
The couple was on their way to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary with friends.
"Julie and Ryan blended their families seven years ago and have built a loving home together," Eberly's family said in a statement.
"As Ryan and Julie’s children grew and matured, they were looking forward to the next stages of their lives together including enjoying being first-time grandparents. Julie truly had a mother’s heart and delighted in being an integral part of each of the childrens’ lives."
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Anyone with information about the case should call the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-671-3170 or email sheriff@robesoncoso.org.
