By NC WANTED Staff

Posted: Jan 21, 2009
Updated: Feb 4, 2009

WAKE COUNTY — It was a stormy night December 21, 2008 when Filiberto Moreno-Lopez left Sullivan's restaurant, where he worked as a dishwasher, and walked home in the rain.

A little after 2 a.m., Filiberto's roommate woke up to gunshots outside. He looked out the window and saw two men running from the apartment complex. By the time he got downstairs, Filiberto was dead. He had been shot in the head.

Police would not comment on any possible motive, including whether Moreno-Lopez had been robbed.

As in any murder probe, investigators need information from the public to help close this case. In the murder of 22-year-old FIliberto Moreno Lopez, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who kept to himself, however, the community isn't talking much.

Detective Kevin Norman told NC WANTED that in many low-income, mixed neighborhoods like the one surrounding the cinder block apartment building where Moreno-Lopez lived, illegal immigrants are seen as "throw-aways."

"I hate to use that terminology," Norman said, but he cited an apathy in the community about these murders that could potentially impede the investigations.

"On our end, it doesn't impact the effort we put forth. On the public end, unfortunately, some people who might come forward with information just think, 'An illegal got killed? Oh well'," Norman explained.

Investigators need your help to close this case.

The suspects are two black males with average builds. One was wearing a black puffy jacket and the other was wearing a blue and white shirt with horizontal stripes. They were last seen running from the scene on the 900 block of East Lane Street.

If you have any information that could assist the investigation, call NC WANTED toll free at 1.866.43.WANTED or click on "Report a Tip" Your identity can be kept confidential.