An A&E, Original Podcast.

This episode contains descriptions of violence.

Listener discretion is advised.

Mind you now, I'm still not thinking gang, you know, this has not crossed my mind, period. In 1998, Deborah Cheesborough lived with her husband and daughter in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

She also had an older son who followed in his father's footsteps into the military.

Well you know this happened in North Carolina.

It's Faithville, North Carolina.

I worked for Bojangles, which is a franchise all up and down the south.

And I worked for them for, at that time, I think think almost 10 years.

I was a store manager, you know, it was a good job.

Oh, I liked it.

You know, everyone would tell you I was strict but I was fair.

You know, I like things done a certain way you know I like things done right.

My husband had to retire from the military so he was you, he was home at the time. I mean, it's strange because people knew that at one time he worked for me part time at my restaurant because he didn't have to work but he wanted something to do so I hired him at my store.

Deborah didn't schedule her husband to work the same shifts as her. She didn't want anyone to think she was showing him favoritism.

So, on Sunday, August 16, 1998, she was working the late shift alone.

At 12.40 a.m. she locked up the restaurant

and headed to her car.

I always closed the store on the Sunday night.

And that was like the end of the week for us, the end of the, you know, where we did inventory,

you know, every Sunday night.

I was never afraid to be in this store by myself after closing.

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