Irease Jeffrey, a beloved resident of Durham, has died on Sunday, January 4, 2026, following a fatal drive-by shooting near a fast-food restaurant on Hillsborough Road. Durham police have identified Mr. Jeffrey as the 30-year-old driver who was killed after another vehicle pulled alongside his 2024 Chevy Malibu and opened fire, with the incident unfolding around 9:05 p.m. in the 3500 block of the road .
According to police investigators, the incident began when Mr. Jeffrey was driving his car westbound on Hillsborough Road. A second vehicle approached the Malibu on its right passenger side, and at least one person inside began shooting directly at it . The sudden gunfire caused Mr. Jeffrey to lose control of his vehicle, which then came to a stop in the parking lot of a nearby Wendy’s restaurant.
He was rushed to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A woman who was a passenger in the Malibu at the time of the shooting was also struck by gunfire; she was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries . As of the latest reports, police have not released any description of the suspect vehicle or discussed a possible motive for the attack, and no arrests have been made .
Mr. Jeffrey, known in the local music community as rapper “Billy Resio,” was an aspiring artist who had recently signed a record deal. A family friend, Michael Mitchell, described him as a natural talent who was “born to do it” and shared that Mr. Jeffrey had been considering a move to Miami to further pursue his career.
He leaves behind a one-year-old son . His friend noted that Mr. Jeffrey “wanted to be to his son what his father was to him,” and lamented the loss by saying, “Durham is too small for all this violence. It’s a waste”.
The Durham Police Department continues to investigate this homicide and has asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Investigator D. Hall at (919) 560-4440 ext. 29319 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200, where callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward .