Marine, a dad of 2, fatally shot in chest during fight on the road, NC cops say

A man fatally shot an active duty U.S. Marine, a father of two young children, during an argument on the road in North Carolina, according to deputies.

James Wells, 43, of Maple Hill, is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of Dylan Rasmussen, 31, in Onslow County on Oct. 19, according to a news release from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office.

Rasmussen “was a devoted husband and a loving father,” reads a GoFundMe established for his family.

“As an active duty Marine, he dedicated his life not only to serving his country but, above all, to caring for and protecting his family,” the GoFundMe says.

Wells’ defense attorney, Paul Y. K. Castle, did not return McClatchy News’ request for comment.

The fight between Wells and Rasmussen occurred near the intersection of a highway, according to deputies and court documents.

Wells stopped his car and got involved in a “verbal altercation” with Rasmussen, then “shot him once in the chest,” court documents say.

Following a 911 call, first responders arrived and transported Rasmussen to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, according to an earlier post from the sheriff’s office on Oct. 19.

In an update, deputies said Rasmussen died of his injuries.

Wells was located the day of the shooting and arrested, according to authorities.

“We now have two individuals, one deceased and one sitting in jail,” District Attorney Ernie Lee told WITN-TV. “We have two families, I’m sure, who are just devastated by all this.”

“Life is just way too short to engage in this type of behavior,” Lee added. “I mean, just don’t pull a weapon out on someone, it’s just not worth it.”

Wells was initially held in the Onslow County Detention Center without bond, according to the sheriff’s office.

His bond has been set at $500,000, court records show.

This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 8:30 AM with the headline "Marine, a dad of 2, fatally shot in chest during fight on the road, NC cops say."

Julia Marnin

McClatchy DC

Julia Marnin covers courts for McClatchy News, writing about criminal and civil affairs, including cases involving policing, corrections, civil liberties, fraud, and abuses of power. As a reporter on McClatchy’s National Real-Time Team, she’s also covered the COVID-19 pandemic and a variety of other topics since joining in 2021, following a fellowship with Newsweek. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was raised in South Jersey and is now based in New York State.