85-Year-Old Tannery Owner Charged in Murder | Charlotte News

Charlotte News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 19, 2026 · 1m

An 85-year-old North Carolina tannery owner, Willard Gary Black, faces a first-degree murder charge after allegedly shooting his business partner, Robert Roger Arguelles, in July 2026. Despite sufficient evidence for conviction, prosecutors have opted against seeking the death penalty, officially ruling it a non-capital case. Black, who was taken into custody at the scene following an altercation, remains jailed on a $2.5 million bond and appeared in court recently—raising concerns about his health. His next court date is set for the week of December 7th, as this high-stakes case continues to…