Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Man Charged in Officer Horan's Killing

Guilford County prosecutors announced Monday they will pursue the death penalty against Tarell McMillian, the Greensboro man charged with first-degree murder in the December 23, 2024 shooting death of Greensboro Police Officer Michael T. Horan.

The announcement, dated March 16, 2026, marks a significant escalation in the capital case. McMillian had already been waiting to learn his legal fate: Guilford County court officials ruled earlier that he would have to wait until March to learn whether he would face the death penalty, a hearing that had been delayed by court action.

Horan was killed in the line of duty on December 23, 2024. The Greensboro Police Department lost one of its officers in what prosecutors have characterized as a killing serious enough to warrant the state's most severe punishment.

McMillian faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with the shooting. North Carolina capital cases involve a separate procedural track once prosecutors file their intent to seek death, meaning the case before Guilford County courts will now move into the more complex and lengthy process associated with capital litigation.

The case remains active in Guilford County courts. No defense statements, identified defense counsel, or hearing dates beyond the March timeline have been confirmed in court records available at this time.