Gunman Sentenced For 2020 Repo Shooting

Columbus County, NC – March 18, 2025 – It was just before sunrise in May of 2020 when shots rang out during a repossession. Threats were made and a gun put to the Repossessors head before police took the suspect into custody. Following five years of legal wrangling, the perpetrator has been convicted. A minimum of seven years in prison awaits him.

Back on the 29^th of May, 2020, during the heights of the pandemic when Ronald Allen Keaton, 50, of Riegelwood earned several charges after allegedly firing on a GMC pickup attempting to repossess his vehicle early that Thursday morning.

The incident unfolded just before 6:00 am on a Thursday morning when deputies responded to a report of shots fired in the area of the 900 block of Browntown Road. Deputies made contact with, repossessor, Daniel Merenda, 37, of Wilmington and Amanda Leigh Hoch, 40, both of Wilmington.

Responding deputies were advised that they were shot at by Ronald Allen Keaton during their attempt to repossess his vehicle. Keaton was accused of firing shots at their GMC pickup and threatened Merenda with a gun to his head, telling him that he would “blow his brains out.”

Deputies soon received information that Keaton was at the 200 block of N.C. 87 in Riegelwood, where he was apprehended.

Gunman Sentenced For 2020 Repo Shooting — Ronald Allen Keaton, now 55

Searching his vehicle, deputies discovered a green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana, cocaine, a digital scale, and cigarillos. Record checks also showed that he was also wanted in New Hanover County, according to their report.

Keaton was charged with two counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling/moving vehicle. He was also charged with maintaining a dwelling for drug activities, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and marijuana, and other charges.

Keaton was taken into custody of the Columbus County Jail.

On March 18^th, the Columbus County district attorney’s office reported that Ronald Allen Keaton, now 55, has been convicted of robbery, discharging a weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon last week.

The judge sentenced Keaton to a minimum of 7 years and a maximum of 113 months in prison.

Source: WWAYTV