MANTEO, N.C. (WAVY) — The mother of Zane Hughes, 19, who was shot and killed July 31 in the Avalon Fishing Pier parking lot, said she is frustrated by what she calls a lack of answers from the district attorney.
Police charged Henry Hargis, 16, with first-degree murder in connection to Hughes’ death. When Hargis was stopped in Southern Shores, a gun was found in his car, but not the one used in the shooting death of Hughes.
Thursday, Hughes’ mother, Nicole Hassell, had what she called a very contentious meeting with the Prosecutorial District 1 District Attorney, Jeff Cruden.
She claims her questions went unanswered.
“Questions like, how many bullets were recovered from my son’s body? His answer? ‘I do not know, I do not have the autopsy in front of me,'” Hassell said. “Did they recover any bullets from the other boy that was shot? His answer? ‘I do not know.’ Can I see the medical examiner’s report? His answer, ‘At some point.’ When questioned about my son Zane’s gunshot wounds and asking again to see the medical examiner’s report, Mr. Cruden said that is not going to happen today because he had no confidence that when I left, it would not be all over social media. … I told him I’m not on social media.”
10 On Your Side reached out to Cruden, who has been a prosecutor for 31 years. He said he wanted to explain how the case would go forward.
“The reason I asked her to come talk to me, I wanted to explain the process,” Cruden said. “I wanted to try and answer any questions I could answer without doing harm to my case. Unfortunately, that is not the reason she wanted to come meet with me. She wanted to talk about the prior instances in Dare County, and I guess, her unhappiness with how they were handled.”
10 On Your Side first reported Monday that link between Hughes and his accused killer, Hargis, due to a May 2024 home invasion at the Hargis’ home in the 200 block of Pine Grove Trail. Hughes was one of the suspects.
Hassell does not think that investigation was handled properly. He said “‘I have no idea as to what investigation you are talking about, and that it is not relevant to the prosecution of Mr. Henry Hargis in this case.'”
Said Cruden: “I wanted to talk about the case involving the death of her son, and that is not what she wanted to talk about at all. Unfortunately, the conversation ended quickly.”
10 On Your Side has also spent this week connecting the dots on what led to the bad blood between Hargis and Hughes. Hassell, asked if the bad blood was caused by the May 2024 home invasion, said, “I am sure it contributed to it.”
“Her son and two others broke into Mr. Hargis’ home and then got the gun,” Cruden said. “Her son takes that gun and robs Mr. Hargis at gunpoint.”
Hassell is still upset the Hargis’ were not charged for ghost guns.
“Detectives later learned that a weapon printed and manufactured by Henry Hargis had been stolen,” Hassell said. “Mr. Hargis admitted to producing the illegal firearm, but yet he wasn’t charged. He was listed as a victim. There is no record of a proper search of the Hargis residence or verification of the destruction of a 3D printer as stated by his father, Randy Hargis.”
10 On Your Side asked Hassell about Hughes’ own involvement with the home invasion.
“As I said before, my son was remorseful and regretful, and he felt bad for what he did,” Hassell said.
What was Hughes’ role in what happened during the home invasion?
“He gathered some shoes and some other items because the weapon was not recovered with my son,” Hassell said. “It was recovered at another co-defendant’ family member’s.”
They are saying that he held a gun towards Hargis while he was sitting or lying in his bed.
“You cannot be robbing someone and pointing a gun at them at the same time,” Hassell said. “Impossible. … They should have been charged. Henry should have been charged for illegally manufacturing firearms, and his father should have as far as being a parent and I’m sure you knew this was all going on in your own home.”
Cruden is scheduled to prosecute Hargis in Hughes’ shooting death.
The next court date is set for Oct. 13 at the Dare County Justice Center.
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