news-record.com

GREENSBORO — Once in a while, Yolanda Morrison would get a phone call from her big brother after he moved to Greensboro 10 years ago.

A quick hello. A short “I love you,” and then Rufus Morrison III would ask about his four children back home in Kinston.

His family knew little about his life here.

After the 31-year-old man was fatally shot early Monday in front of Club Rain downtown, that lack of knowledge has left them even more in the dark in their effort to find out why.

Entering the third day of the investigation of his slaying, police say they have had difficulty nailing down the facts as well.

Leads have come in, but the investigation has taken off in multiple directions as detectives investigate.

“We are working some Crime Stoppers leads, but we are essentially at the same point as when it happened,” said Capt. Janice Rogers. “The investigation is going in a lot of different directions.”

Morrison was shot at 4:17 a.m. Monday outside Club Rain at 219 Lewis St., as a private party was breaking up at the club.

He was shot several times in the chest and died at Moses Cone Hospital.

A dark sedan was seen leaving the club after the shots were fired.

It’s the only suspect information that has been released; a motive for the shooting remains unclear.

The club owner, Montis Lash, said the business was closed at the time of the killing.

The shooting happened as a small group of employees and their friends were leaving after playing cards and shooting pool.

Lash has said the shooting had nothing to do with the club, but police say Morrison was among the group leaving.

Yolanda Morrison, 27, said her brother — the third of four children — moved to Greensboro 10 years ago for a change of scenery.

Friends and family said he had most recently worked as a home health care aide and was engaged to be married next summer.

He was an aspiring rapper, an artist and a genuinely good guy, according to friends and family,

“He really didn’t have any problems with anyone,” Yolanda Morrison said. “He had a big heart and would do what he could for you.”

Morrison had two boys and two girls, ages 4 to 13. His sister said she has heard the killing was related to a street gang or other criminal activity.

Police have not confirmed that and his friends declined comment when asked Wednesday.

“There is a lot of hearsay and a lot of emotion, tears, pain,” said Gwen Singleton, a close friend of Rufus Morrison III. “It was past friendship with him, we were a family.”

His funeral will be Saturday in Kinston, his family said.

Anyone with information in the homicide is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 373-1000.

Callers remain anonymous and are eligible for cash rewards.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com