WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Investigators are working to determine if a victim of a deadly shooting was playing a game of Russian roulette.
Winston-Salem police said on July 13, they discovered Kalil Nathaniel Rice's body in an abandoned stolen vehicle on Gray Avenue. They said he died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators said the vehicle was stolen from a dealership before it was abandoned after the shooting. They later discovered five people were inside the vehicle at the time of the shooting. Based on the interviews, police said they were told Rice died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after it was suggested they play a game of Russian roulette.
Police said the vehicle had damage consistent with a single shot being fired into it at some point in time. However, they said the projectile did not penetrate into the passenger/cabin area of the vehicle and therefore could not have been the source of injury but are still investigating.
Police arrested two people in connection with the case including Keivaunaugh Saunders and James Michael King Jr.
Saunders,19, was charged with concealment of a death and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Saunders was initially arrested on July 13, for an outstanding warrant for arrest for misdemeanor breaking and entering. At the time of his arrest, a stolen semi-automatic handgun was found and seized.
On July 15, police arrested King Jr., 18, on an outstanding warrant for arrest for interference with an electronic monitoring device. King Jr. was placed in the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center under a secured bond in the amount of $35,000.00.
King was charged with the following crimes:
1. Interference with an electronic monitoring device – This charge stemmed from the unlawful removal of an electronic monitoring device worn as part of conditions of probation. King’s probation status was the result of an earlier conviction for breaking and/or entering.
2. Felony breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering and felony larceny. These charges stemmed from an incident that occurred at Parkway Ford of Winston-Salem on July 01, 2020. During that incident, a 2018 Lincoln Navigator and 2015 Ford F-150 were reported stolen.
3. Felony larceny and felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle – Those charges stemmed from the theft of the 2007 Kia Sorento recovered in this incident. As mentioned earlier, that vehicle was reported stolen from Bob King Kia of Winston-Salem on July 10, 2020.
Both Saunders and King Jr. were inside the vehicle at the time of Kalil Rice's death, police said. Two teenagers were also believed to be in the vehicle but since they're juveniles, police are not releasing their names.
Police said they're working closely with the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine if the deadly injury is consistent or inconsistent with being self-inflicted. Police said as of now the investigation remains classified as a “death investigation.”
