Ex-neighbor opens up about persons of interest in China Wok killing

PINE HILLS, Fla. — WFTV has learned new information involving the fatal shooting of a worker at a Chinese restaurant in Pine Hills earlier this year.

Nearly two months after Ying Jei Sun was gunned down at the China Wok restaurant in the Pine Hills community, no arrests have been made.

Investigators named Raymond Barnes Jr., 22, and Calvin Washington, 20, persons of interest in Sun's slaying, but police are unable to find the pair.

Christopher Gray, a former mentor and neighbor, also told WFTV Washington was a standout running back at Boone High School.

"When he left the house, he was always going to school or football practice," Gray said.

On Tuesday, Gray told WFTV Barnes and Washington were childhood friends, even living together at one time.

Gray said Washington's brother was slain a couple of years ago, which left the young man on his own.

"His brother took care of him," said Gray. "When he lost his brother, I guess he had to do what he had to do to survive."

WFTV's Kathi Belich said Barnes and Washington were known to hang around a convenience store around the corner from China Wok. The manager there said he believes Washington was behind a recent bicycle theft at the store.

The owner of the restaurant has since reopened under a new name. He said he was so sick over the killing that he couldn't come back to work for two months.

WFTV