Eight years after 19-year-old Josh Dibuono was shot and killed while driving to Elizabeth City, detectives have new leads and persons of interest in the case, according to the Pasquotank Sheriff Tommy Wooten.
On March 26, 2018, Dibuono and a friend made the trip from Hampton to Elizabeth City, North Carolina to buy rims from someone he met online.
Authorities determined that person he spoke to online was not connected to the deadly crime that took place.
While driving on the US 17 Bypass in Pasquotank County, someone fired 10 rounds into Dibuono’s car.
Dibuono was struck three times and airlifted to a hospital, where he died.
The Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the shots came from a red Dodge Neon. Investigators have identified two, possibly three, persons of interest, said Sheriff Wooten.
A new investigator took over the case and spoke to the family last April.
Sheriff Wooten said the shooting could have been a road rage incident or a gang initiation.
"It's become a little bit of a snowball effect in a good way to give us information to start tracking down leads again, and that's kind of how it's transpired in the last several months," Wooten said.
"The new leads that we have, I can just tell the tell the public that the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office is doing everything we can to run those leads down and see where they go," Wooten said.
Josh's father, Nick Dibuono, said the anniversary of his son's death is difficult.
"It was an innocent person taken away from us for no reason," Dibuono said.
"This time of the year is always the hardest not having him here, it's tough," Nick said.
WTKR has continued to follow this case throughout the years as the family remains heartbroken by the sudden, violent and shocking death.
"Josh was a good boy. He was a Christian; he attended church regularly. He was unarmed at the time. He wasn't violent. He loved his family, he loved the outdoors, loved going fishing, he was doing BMX racing and he got along with everybody," Nick said.
"Josh has two nieces. They're never going to know him, never going to know the type of person he was, and the loving, individual he was and that's the hard part… That's probably one of the most frustrating parts," Nick said.
The Sheriff's office is asking the public to come forward with information.
"If anybody has any information, please call the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office. Captain Williams, Master Sergeant Morgan, 252-338-2191. And to the family, bear with us. Obviously, I can't promise you anything, but we're going to work very diligently to try to have some closure for this case," Wooten said.
"Somebody out there knows what happened," Dibuono said.
The Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office is located at 200 East Colonial Ave., Elizabeth City, NC 27909.
You could be eligible for a reward: Call Pasquotank Sheriff’s Investigators at 252-338-2191.
