Man killed in Warsaw home shooting found justified, DA says

WARSAW — A 41-year‑old Warsaw man was shot and killed Sept. 7, 2025, at the home of his longtime girlfriend by her adult son, authorities said. District Attorney Ernie Lee said after reviewing reports from the Warsaw Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation that the shooting was legally justified.

According to the DA’s office, investigators concluded that Eliecer Luna’s actions created an apparent threat to the lives of the son and other occupants of the residence, including six children. Law enforcement stated the son acted after receiving a call from his younger sister reporting that Luna was allegedly assaulting their mother and told her to call the police.

Law enforcement said the son retrieved a handgun and went to the home where he found his mother badly beaten. The son fired multiple times after Luna allegedly approached him with a raised fist. Police found Luna dead inside the home.

Authorities said the mother sustained injuries, she “had an excessive amount of blood on her head, chest and legs,” said the report. “The victim had suffered a head injury causing the bleeding and there was a substantial amount of long, dark hair, consistent with the victim’s hair near the blood on the floor.” According to authorities, two children were upstairs and four others were found hiding in the closet. According to the DA’s office, SBI interviews and statements from the mother reportedly corroborated the son’s account of events. The autopsy confirmed Luna died from multiple gunshot wounds. Officials said they found no evidence of criminal intent and cited Luna’s prior history of domestic violence and the immediate threat to residents as justification for self-defense.