WAKE FOREST, N.C. (AP) — A Raleigh man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to have a man killed, who was involved in a fatal car crash that claimed the suspect’s mother nearly eight years ago.
Rhett Michael Barlow, 22, was taken into custody by the Wake Forest Police Department and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, according to a news release from Wake Forest town officials.
Barlow is accused of soliciting to commit the first-degree murder of Donald Caulder Jr., who was involved in the 2016 fatal motor vehicle crash that took the life of Barlow’s mother, Michelle. The suspect was arrested while on National Guard active duty at the base of Fort Liberty, a Wake Forest official stated.
Barlow has been held at the Wake County Detention Center under a $1 million secured bond since his arrest on November 28, 2023. His first court appearance is scheduled for Wake County District Court on Monday at 1:30 p.m.
Michelle Simone Barlow, 42, of Wake Forest, died in a chain-reaction crash on U.S. 1/Capital Boulevard in March 2016. She was an English teacher at Wake Forest High School, and her death stemmed from a crash involving Caulder, who was convicted in January 2017 of misdemeanor death by vehicle. He was given an intermediate sentence with special probation, records from the North Carolina Department of Corrections showed.
The case has brought back the tragic memories of the fatal crash and the impact it had on the community. Officials are continuing to investigate the recent allegations against Barlow as they handle the legal proceedings.
The Wake Forest Police Department, along with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, is urging anyone with additional information about the case to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation. They are also working to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved in the case.