The mother of two cared for infants at a Wake Forest child care center before she was killed at her Franklin County home.
FRANKLINTON, N.C. — Relatives and colleagues are mourning Rasheka Crudup, a mother of two and child care worker whose death at a Franklin County home has led to a murder charge against a man her mother said had been in a relationship with her.
Devon Whaley, 35, is charged with first-degree murder in Crudup’s death, according to court records and local authorities. A second man, 33-year-old Tyrone Crudup, is charged with accessory after the fact. Authorities have not released a detailed account of how Rasheka Crudup died or what led to the killing, leaving significant questions about the circumstances under investigation.
Arrest warrants accuse Whaley of killing Crudup on Monday, Oct. 12, at a home on Lane Store Road in the Franklinton area. Court documents also allege that Whaley broke into the home with the intent to terrorize and injure her. The allegations have not been proven in court, and Whaley is presumed innocent unless convicted.
Jessica Crudup, Rasheka Crudup’s mother, said her daughter and Whaley had been in a relationship. She said she had not seen indications that the relationship would end in deadly violence. She recalled seeing the two joking and spending time together and said the killing was something she never expected.
Family members described Crudup as an ambitious and caring woman who was devoted to her children. Her cousin, Timothy Green, remembered her as a loving mother whose loss cannot be repaired by the outcome of the criminal case. He said the family hopes justice is served but knows that no court proceeding can return Crudup to those who loved her.
Crudup also cared for infants at Kiddie Academy of Wake Forest. The child care center publicly mourned her death and described the loss she leaves behind as profound. Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White likewise described Crudup as a mother, caregiver, teacher and cherished member of the community.
The case also includes allegations that another person helped Whaley after the killing. Prosecutors allege Tyrone Crudup knew Whaley had committed a felony and then took steps to help him escape and destroy evidence. Court records allege those actions included cleaning Whaley’s vehicle and disposing of clothing connected with the crime. The accessory charge is an allegation, and Tyrone Crudup has not been convicted in the case.
Authorities have also pointed to Whaley’s earlier criminal record. Court records show he pleaded guilty in 2017 to assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury after an earlier case involving violence against another woman. He was released from prison in 2024. He also has faced separate domestic violence and assault charges stemming from January 2026.
Whaley remained jailed without bond as the case moved forward. He and Tyrone Crudup are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 22. Investigators have not publicly disclosed a motive or a complete sequence of events surrounding Rasheka Crudup’s death.
Author note: Last updated October 16, 2026.