Family says they forgive suspect in Wayne college shooting

Kenneth Morgan Stancil, 20, is charged with murder in the shooting death of Lane, 44, who managed the print shop at Wayne Community College in Goldsboro. Funeral services were planned for Thursday afternoon.

Lane’s cousin, Steven Smith, said the death has been hard for the family to process, and they have been relying on faith to get through it.

“It’s something that should not have happened,” he said. “If it weren’t for the Lord, we couldn’t have done this today.”

Smith said the family forgives Stancil.

“Because of our belief in the Lord, we have forgiven the act that the person has done,” he said. “We don’t like what he did, but we can love all people because that is what the Lord tells us to do.”

Stancil worked for Lane as a work-study student until March, when he was dismissed for too many absences. Investigators said Stancil walked into the print shop Monday morning and shot Lane with a 12-gauge pump shotgun. He fled on a motorcycle and was captured the next morning when officers found him asleep on a beach in Volusia County, Fla.

He is scheduled to appear in a Wayne County courtroom at 4:30 p.m. Thursday after waiving extradition from Florida.

Stancil - a neo-Nazi who said he doesn’t believe in race mixing and hates gay people – said he shot Lane because the openly gay man made sexual advances toward his 16-year-old brother through Facebook.

Smith refuted the accusation that Lane was a child molester, saying he never made sexual advances toward children or anyone he worked with. He said Lane was a man who was dedicated to his family and friends. He was shy, loving and energetic, Smith said.

“Yes, Ron was gay. But people need to get over it,” Smith said. “That’s between him and the Lord, him and his savior.”

Smith said the family appreciates all the prayers they have received. They are also praying for Stancil and his family.

“Especially his mother,” Smith said. “Because she is grieving at this time also.”