New murder charges, bond reductions in West Union shooting

Two months after James Henry was shot and killed on West Union Street, a second man has been charged with first-degree murder as newly filed search warrants provide the most detailed account yet of what investigators say happened before and after the shooting.

Braxton Garland Collins, 20, joins Ke’Von Mack in facing a first-degree murder charge, while two other defendants charged with obstruction of justice were released on reduced bonds Sept. 29.

However, on Aug. 10, the Morganton Department of Public Safety (MDPS) charged him with first-degree murder. The Burke County Magistrate denied his bond, citing Iryna’s Law, meaning he faces stricter pretrial release conditions.

Although the details behind the new charge are slim, a series of search warrants across the cases tied to Collins’ arrest paint a clearer picture of what occurred that night and after.

ALL THE SEARCH WARRANTS

On July 27, 2026, around 1:11 a.m., MDPS responded to what sounded like gunshots on West Union Street, searching the area on foot and by vehicle.

A public safety officer (PSO) found James Henry, 46, unresponsive and lying face down in the road, with what appeared to be a gunshot wound in his abdomen. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Another PSO responding to the location spotted five individuals walking — later identified as Ke’Von Mack, Collins, Justice Raab, Ayanna Parridgen, and De’John Downing, who had been partying at Collins and Raab’s apartment, when they decided to walk to McDonald’s.

As they walked, they encountered Henry and an argument began. Search warrants state that Collins admitted to firing three warning shots in the direction of Henry with a Taurus 9 mm pistol. After the warning shots, the group continued walking, and Henry followed.

They again started arguing before Mack allegedly turned, walked to Henry, and shot him at point-blank range. Henry fell to the ground as Mack continued shooting him, according to the search warrant.

Agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation who responded to assist in processing the crime scene later collected 18 shell cases, varying in brand name, at the location of the body.

When the PSO stopped the five, Mack took off running, dropping a pistol as he fled. The pistol was later identified as belonging to Collins. A white KRISS Vector magazine and a Glock 45 9 mm were also located near where Mack was apprehended — which investigators later matched to videos and photos on Mack’s Instagram account showing him in possession of numerous firearms.

A search warrant executed at Collins’ home produced two 9 mm bullets of different brand names.

On July 29, Parridgen’s sister reported to police that she received a Snapchat video from Parridgen on the night of the shooting at 1:03 a.m., according to court documents. In the video, Parridgen is running and said, “This [expletive] done just shot a gun and we runnin’. I love this life. I love it so much.”

On Aug. 16, Collins called his father from jail. During the call, Collins’ father spoke with Collins’ cellmate, who explained that correctional officers don’t read outgoing mail; only incoming mail, text messages, and phone calls are monitored.

The next day Collins called his father again, explaining that he had sent a copy of the search warrant to a P.O. Box that he believed to be his father’s. When he learned it belonged to his grandparents, he reiterated that the envelope contained a note meant only for his father that they didn’t need to see.

A search warrant executed on Aug. 21 recovered the contents of the envelope, but it’s unclear what was written inside.

According to Collins’ attorney, Cynthia Phillips-Goelling, she is still waiting on discovery from MDPS.

“This is something that happened two months ago, … there’s got to be something,” she said. “I’m not blaming the (district attorney’s) office at all. My client just turned 20. There’s a sense of urgency.”

Collins is being held without bond.

BOND REDUCTIONS

Raab’s attorney Robert Cayll, on the other hand, succeeded in his motion to lower Raab’s bond from $100,000 to $20,000.

“He has no chance of making that ($100,000 bond), even with the help of family and friends,” Cayll said. “He wants to face this, resolve it, and put it behind him.”

Upon his initial arrest, Raab received a $20,000 bond, which a judge upped to $100,000 at his first appearance. Cayll explained that Raab is integral in supporting his mother and brother, and that he was gainfully employed before arrest.

He also explained that Raab had a support system from the community who had shown up to court that day. He gestured to the gallery and at least 12 people raised their hands.

The judge lowered the bond and added stipulations requested by the district attorney’s office: electronic monitoring, a curfew, and no contact with the other defendants in cases related to the shooting.

According to the judge, he is “basically gonna be under house arrest other than needing to talk to (his lawyer) and other necessities.”

Parridgen’s lawyer, Bryan Jones, filed a similar motion for a bond reduction, explaining that Parridgen wanted to go back to school and misses playing the piccolo.

The court took a brief recess while the judge, the State, and the defense attorney went into the judge’s chambers to discuss the bond reduction.

When they returned to session, the judge reduced the bond to $1,000 and stipulated that she not be around the other defendants, much like Raab.

Both sides declined to comment on why Parridgen’s was so much lower than Raab’s, despite both being charged with felony obstruction of justice at the same crime scene.

Raab and Parridgen both posted bond on Sept. 29.