By Holly Fesperman Lee

Kannapolis Citizen

A Rockwell man was charged Friday after the shooting death of Henry Arthur Aldridge on Jan. 29.

Ray Lee Ross, 46, of 145 Beverly Road, is charged in the killing of Aldridge, 54, of 1975 Michelle Drive, Kannapolis. Aldridge was found dead on his living room floor last Monday afternoon.

According to Rowan County Sheriff George Wilhelm, Kannapolis Police arrested Ross for attempted murder Friday morning after another incident and found evidence at that scene linking him to Aldridge’s murder.

Wilhelm declined to say what evidence Kannapolis Police found. According to arrest reports from the Rowan County Magistrate’s Office, Ross is charged with shooting Pedro Romero Amaro, 36, in the head with a Ruger .22 caliber rifle and assaulting Angelica Besies Martinez, 32, both of 1303 Rental Drive, Kannapolis.

According to information at the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Ross tried to shoot Martinez as she struggled with him. Amaro was taken to NorthEast Medical Center and has since been released. Ross also was charged with attempting to steal $6,000 from Amaro.

He is charged with two counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, possession of a firearm by a felon and assault on a female. Ross was already in jail on those charges when Rowan County Sheriff’s deputies charged him with murder on Feb. 2.

Wilhelm said he couldn’t comment on a motive in Aldridge’s death, but he said “it appears that he (Ross) was familiar with Mr. Aldridge.” He added they lived a few miles from each other. Ross is being held without bond.

Amaro was placed under $250,000 bond Monday after Kannapolis Police charged him with possession of five or more counterfeit instruments.

Amaro allegedly had 109 counterfeit $20 bills in his possession.

He also faces charges of possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine and marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia (digital scales and baggies) and maintaining a dwelling for keeping and selling a controlled substance. He was scheduled for a first appearance in court today.

Martinez has been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance and possession of counterfeit money.

According to arrest reports, Martinez had more than $2,000 counterfeit money in her possession.

She’s in the Rowan County Detention Center under $250,000 bond.

A note on the arrest report indicated that the detective requested a higher bond because of Martinez’s citizenship status and her potential as a witness in the attempted murder case.