Feds charge 16 Fayetteville Hells Angels members in murder, attack

Sixteen people face federal charges for what authorities say is a motorcycle gang rivalry turned deadly that also puts the public at risk.
Posted 10/15/2024, 8:49:00 PM Updated 10/16/2024, 9:34:27 AM

PEOPLE TO BOIL WATER FOR AT

LEAST ONE MINUTE BEFORE

DRINKING IT.

>> BULLETS AND HAMMERS FLYING

AS PEOPLE STOPPED TO GET GAS

DURING A ROAD TRIP. 16 PEOPLE

FACE FEDERAL CHARGES IN

CONNECTION WITH THE MOTORCYCLE

GANG RIVALRY. THAT STRETCH FROM

RALEIGH TO FAYETTEVILLE.

WRAL WAS THE ONLY MEDIA OUTLET

IN COURT TODAY AS ONE OF THE

DEFENDANTS FOUGHT FOR HIS

FREEDOM AND LOST TO BE OUR

INVESTIGATES. SARAH KRUEGER

EXPLAINS WHAT HAPPENED.

>> OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS,

WE'VE COVERED SEVERAL VIOLENT

ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN THE HELLS

ANGELS AND PAGAN MOTORCYCLE

CLUBS. PROSECUTORS SAY THEIR

GANGS ORGANIZED CRIME,

ESSENTIALLY THE MOB ON WHEELS.

NEW YEAR'S DAY 2023, JONAS

PADILLA WAS GUNNED DOWN WHILE

RIDING ON HIS BIKE IN WAKE

COUNTY. 5 MEN WERE CHARGED

LOCALLY ACCORDING TO NEW COURT

DOCUMENTS. THE FEDS TOOK OVER.

THEY'RE AMONG 16 ALLEGED

MEMBERS OF THE HELLS ANGELS

MOTORCYCLE CLUB IN FAYETTEVILLE

NOW FACING A NUMBER OF CHARGES,

INCLUDING MURDER AND ATTEMPTED

MURDER.

>> TODAY IN FEDERAL COURT, ONE

OF THOSE DEFENDANTS, 64

YEAR-OLD WILLIAM BEASLEY WAS

DENIED HIS RELEASE PRIOR TO

TRIAL.

>> PROSECUTORS SHOWED VIDEO

OF A FIGHT BETWEEN THE RIVAL

MOTORCYCLE GANG MEMBERS IN A

BUSY PARKING LOT WHERE ONE

PERSON DIED IN THE VIDEO.

BEASLEY WORE A SHIRT THAT SAID

THAT'S FOR RATS AND APPEARED TO

HIT A RIVAL GANG MEMBER WITH

A HAMMER. MULTIPLE TIMES.

THE REST OF THE DEFENDANTS HAVE

DETENTION HEARINGS IN THE NEXT