Family objects to the idea alleged killer may plead insanity to murder charge

Members of the family of Rigoberto Mejia, Miguel Mejia Couto and Anthony Fritts, all victims in a shooting last weekend, made it clear during a protest Friday afternoon that they do not want the alleged shooter, Zackary Plowman, to be allowed to plead insanity. Elisabeth Strillacci, Davidson Local

In an emotional plea during a protest in front of the old courthouse in Lexington Friday, Cynthia Couto, the niece of murder victim Rigoberto Mejia, said her family does not want the man accused of killing one family member and shooting two others to be allowed to plead insanity to his charge of murder.

Family and friends gathered in front of the current Historical Museum on Main Street holding signs saying “Justice 4 Rigo and Miguel” and “Keep him in jail, he took innocent lives.” Couto said the family has been told the accused shooter, Zackary Lee Plowman, may enter a plea of insanity, and they do not want the state to accept that. Plowman, 39, is due back in court on Feb. 19.

Even the youngest family members were on hand Friday to demand justice for Rigo and Miguel Mejia, both of whom suffered gunshots to the head in last week’s shooting. Elisabeth Strillacci, Davidson Local.

“We do think this was possibly racially motivated,” she said Friday afternoon. “We do not know this man. He is from another town, Rural Hall, and he came here to do this.”

Plowman allegedly engaged in numerous crimes between Saturday, Feb.. 3 and Sunday, Feb. 4 before he was tracked down and arrested by Davidson County Sheriff’s deputies on Old Greensboro Street Extension.

Reports say he started by damaging two cars at Jerry Hunt Auto Center on Piedmont Drive Friday afternoon or evening. He then is alleged to have driven up on the Mejia/Couto family house on Virigina Drive behind and across from Hayes Jewelers and unleashed a spray of bullets, striking both Rigo and his oldest son, Miguel in the head, and a third victim, Anthony Fritts, in the back before getting away. Police arriving on the scene came across Fritts who made his way down 9th Street yelling for help. Other arriving officers made their way the short distance to the house where they found the father and son gravely injured and a chaotic scene. Police believe Plowman went on to fire shots later Saturday night somewhere on Old Greensboro Street Extension, and in the early hours of Sunday, Lexington police spotted his car on Winston Road and tried to stop him. Plowman ditched the car and got away, allegedly making his way to Community Fellowship Moravian Church in Welcome where he spent the rest of the night. When the church pastor and his wife arrived the next morning before services, Plowman reportedly forced them to drive him some distance away before ejecting them unharmed from the car and driving off. It is reported he drove onto JD Essick Road, a dead end, before ditching that car. About 8:45 p.m Sunday night, a DCSO sheriff’s deputy and his K9 tracked down Plowman, again on Old Greensboro Street Extension, and arrested him. Plowman does have a criminal history dating back to 2001 involving possession of drugs, theft, assault on a female, possession of a gun by a felon, and he served more than 15 years for a second-degree murder conviction for providing the cocaine that resulted in his girlfriend’s overdose and death in 2006.

Anthony Fritts, Sr. was at Friday’s protest and said although his son will heal from his physical injuries, the recovery from the emotional trauma will be much harder.

“My son and his girlfriend and Miguel all went to school together, they graduated from Lexington High School together,” he said. “This is family.” He said his daughter-in-law had scraped her knees when she went over a low retaining wall that she did not see in the dark, because she was running. As he talked about the night, he had to stop and gather his emotions.

Couto agreed that Anthony was treated as a member of the family, saying he would often stop by the house on his own just to visit. However, she went on to say, as she talked about race being a possible motive, that “three people were shot; one was my brother-in-law and he’s a white male and was only shot once in the back, but my cousin Miguel and my uncle Rigoberto were shot multiple times and were shot specifically in the head. He had a target, he knew who he was shooting for.”

Cynthia Couto said she never thought she would have to plan a protest like the one she helped organize Friday afternoon where she and family members called for justice for her uncle Rigo Mejia and her cousin Miguel Mejia Couto. Rigo was killed in a shooting last weekend and Miguel continues to fight for his life. Elisabeth Strillacci, Davidson Local

“We need the community to come together to help us protest this man’s ability to plead insanity,” she continued. “We need to fill the streets outside the courthouse with people so the court knows this is not okay.” Another sign hanging on the pedestal outside the old courthouse read “It’s always ‘thug’ ‘monster’ ‘criminal’ if you’re black or brown but ‘mentally insane’ when you’re white.”

As those gathered stood in the increasing rain as the cold crept in, Couta explained that her cousin Miguel is still fighting for his life.

“The shot caused damage to his brain that caused swelling,” she said. “They are waiting for the swelling to go down and then they will do more tests to see if there is brain activity. And we know there will be.” She insisted that she and the family are choosing to believe Miguel can come through this.

Meanwhile, medical bills are piling up. A GoFundMe set up by another family member, Mariana Mejia, has raised nearly $8,000, but Couta says that “is just a drop in the bucket, although we are grateful for every penny.” There are also funeral expenses for Rigo, which will take place Saturday.

Rigo will lie in state at the family home all night Friday night, she said, and per tradition, the family will sit with him. Anyone is welcome to come by and pay their respects, bring water for those sitting, offer comfort, and the funeral will take place at noon Our Lady of the Rosary Church on South Main Street followed by the burial at Lexington City Cemetery.

At the same time that the family was gathered for the protest, a fundraiser was taking place at Templo Emamuel, a small church across US Hwy 64 from Randy’s Restaurant.

People continued to line up to purchase tickets for a variety of homemade foods during a fundraiser organized by The Bakery Lady, Leticia Maynez that raised funds to help pay for funeral and medical bills. Elisabeth Strillacci, Davidson Local

Leticia “Letti” Maynez, known as “the baker lady,” said when she heard what had happened, she posted a call on Facebook, saying anyone who wanted to cook and sell something to help raise funds for the family was welcome to join. They changed locations a few times, but once it was established, friends and strangers began to step up.

By Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. there was a line inside and outside the church, with grills going outside and hot plates and portable stove tops sizzling away inside the church. At least 150 people were there at any one time, selling homemade items, purchasing food to take home or sitting down to eat.

More food was available inside the fellowship hall at Temple Emanual on Hwy 64. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Mejia/Couto family. Elisabeth Strillacci, Davidson Local

“I probably don’t know 70 percent of the people who are here selling things,” said Maynez. “We have done this before, when other people in our community have struggled, and it just seemed the natural thing to do for this family.”

Her daugher Socorro Sorrano was outside selling tickets for food purchases and she said the response made her “proud to be Mexican. I am saddened by what has happened to this family but glad that we can do this for them.”

Every penny raised during the sale will go to the Mejia/Couto family, Maynez said.

The family is also hosting a raffle and they are looking for donations of items to include. Couto said anyone interested can send her a Facebook message, and her screen name is Cy Nthia.