RALEIGH, N.C. – A shocking development unfolded on Saturday morning as police arrested a Raleigh man for attempting to have another man killed. This was allegedly in retaliation for the death of the suspect’s mother in a 2016 traffic accident.
Rhett Michael Barlow was taken into custody by the Wake Forest Police after allegedly soliciting someone to carry out the murder of Donald Caulder, Jr. Nearly eight years ago, Caulder was driving a dump truck along Capital Blvd. when he was involved in a crash that resulted in the death of Michelle Barlow, a high school teacher and the suspect’s mother.
During a court appearance on Monday, prosecutors detailed Barlow’s actions, including the purchase of firearms and efforts to position himself closer to Caulder, the intended target. It was also revealed that Barlow had sought a transfer of his National Guard duty to be in closer proximity to Caulder.
Authorities indicated that they believed the initial crash was possibly caused by driver fatigue or distraction. Caulder, who was 29 at the time of the incident, faced charges of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and failure to reduce speed. Furthermore, investigators found no evidence at the scene that Caulder attempted to brake or swerve to avoid the collision.
In a poignant moment, Michelle Barlow’s husband expressed forgiveness towards Caulder during her memorial service. He was also photographed alongside Michelle and their two grieving children, one of whom was Rhett.
Following his arrest, Rhett Barlow was transported to the Wake County Detention Center, where he is being held under a $1 million secured bond.
As the investigation into the incident continues, the North Carolina National Guard confirmed that Barlow has been a member of the 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, based out of Charlotte, since 2019.