William Darius Aikens Jr.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A Forsyth County man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder in a 2023 shooting that left one man dead in Winston-Salem.
William Darius Aikens Jr. was found guilty in the death of Brandon Patterson, who was shot multiple times on Oct. 18, 2023, on North Cameron Avenue. Prosecutors said Aikens drove a red Dodge Charger past Patterson several times before pulling over and opening fire. Patterson was struck five times and died at the scene.
Investigators identified the vehicle on surveillance footage and later found it parked outside a home on Ferrell Court. Deputies recovered a spent shell casing on the car’s windshield wiper, matching evidence collected at the shooting scene.
A jury deliberated for about an hour before returning a guilty verdict. Aikens was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Officials said surveillance footage and forensic evidence were key in securing the conviction. No additional suspects have been named in the case.
Victim: Brandon Patterson