A tragic incident unfolded at a North Carolina furniture company when Willard Gary Black, aged 85, allegedly shot his business partner, Robert Roger Arguelles, following a legal ruling against him in a contract dispute. Black has been charged with second-degree murder after the incident on Wednesday, which resulted in Arguelles being shot in the chest and back. Arguelles died at the Old Hickory Tannery, where both men co-owned the business.
Earlier that day, a court required Black to pay Arguelles $310,882.74 due to a contract disagreement. The dispute arose when Black had sold 49.9% of his business to Arguelles in 2018. Arguelles claimed to have loaned Black $280,000, of which only $23,876.19 had been repaid.
Both men had agreed to settle their lawsuit for the specified amount, but Black attempted to retract his consent after filing the necessary paperwork with the court. On Wednesday, a judge denied his request and confirmed the payment. Following this decision, a confrontation between Black and Arguelles took place at their business, ending in the shooting. Police responded but unfortunately, they were unable to save Arguelles, who was 59 years old.
Robert Roger Arguelles had been an active board member of the Alexander County Schools since 2022. District Superintendent Bill Griffin expressed his condolences, describing Arguelles as a dedicated father, husband, and board member. Griffin assured that the district supports the family’s privacy during their time of grief.
Leave a Reply