Professional experience:

2022- WRAL Durham reporter/multimedia journalist

2019-2022 WCTV Capital City Correspondent/multimedia journalist

2017-2019 WHSV Morning Reporter/multimedia journalist

Awards and recognition:

2021 Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Best Political Story winner

2021 Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Best MMJ finalist

2020 Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Best Weather Reporting winner

2020 Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Best Environmental Reporting finalist

2019 Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Best Political Story winner

“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.”

B.A. in Media Studies and English from University of Virginia

Birthplace/Hometown:

Hobbies, interests, and community involvement:

Hot yoga, hiking, and reading. I love any volunteer activity where I can connect with young people!

My mom, dad and little brother all live in Northern Virginia.

Likes Best about NC:

The variety of weather and landscape. There is so much to do outside, and it’s all close to the Triangle!

Most Memorable Assignments:

Covering Hurricane Fred, when a homeowner gave me a tour of his flooded street – from a canoe!

Monica Casey

The defense argues Faith Hedgepeth's roommate, Karena Rosario, has changed her story multiple times. The defense wants to question Rosario on the stand, even though she's not charged in the case.

&gt;&gt; ONE SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS. THIS IS WRAL. &gt;&gt; NEW TONIGHT WE ARE GETTING OUR FIRST LOOK AT NEW COURT FILINGS IN THE FAITH HEDGEPETH CASE. IT GIVES US A NEW INSIGHT INTO HOW DEFENSE ATTORNEYS COULD DEFEND THEIR CLIENT MORE THAN A DECADE NOW AFTER THE UNC STUDENT WAS KILLED. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I'M DAN HAGGERTY AND I'M MICHELLE MACKONOCHIE. NEW DOCUMENTS OUTLINE EFFORTS TO CALL WITNESSES TO THE STAND AT MCGILL CELL ALL OF ERA SAYS ATTORNEYS THINK COULD HELP IN THIS CASE. &gt;&gt; WRAL'S MONICA CASEY JOINS US NOW WITH A NEW DEVELOPMENTS. MONICA. &gt;&gt; WELL, THESE MOTIONS WERE FILED BY THE DEFENSE AND THOSE ATTORNEYS ARGUE FAITH HEDGED PETS, ROOMMATE KARENINA ROSARIO HAS CHANGED HER STORY. MULTIPLE TIMES. THEY WANT TO QUESTION HER ON THE STAND IN COURT EVEN THOUGH SHE IS NOT CHARGED IN THIS CASE. MIQUEL SALGUERO OLIVAREZ IS CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER, BURGLARY, RAPE AND OFFENSE. &gt;&gt; HIS ATTORNEYS ARGUE IN NEW FILINGS, THIS STORY TOLD BY FAITH HATCHED PATS ROOMMATE CORREDOR ROSARIO DOESN'T ADD UP. ROSARIO IS NOT CHARGED IN THIS CASE. THE DEFENSE POINTS TO BLOOD SEEN ON ROSARIO'S HAND AND BLOOD ON THE WALL OF THE BATHROOM WHERE SHE TOLD INVESTIGATORS SHE WAS SITTING FROM 03:00AM UNTIL ALMOST 4.30, THE NIGHT HAD PASSED WAS MURDERED. THERE ARE OTHER MOTION IS TO CALL JORDAN MCCRARY AS A WITNESS. THE STUDENT WHO PICKED ROSARIO UP FROM THE APARTMENT AROUND FOR 25 THAT MORNING AFTER SHE TEXTED ASKING HIM TO COME GET HER IN THE MOTIONS. THE DEFENSE ARGUES THE FINAL TAX FROM HEAD, PATS, PHONE OR WRITTEN AND SENT BY CORONA ROSARIO. THEY ALSO POINT TO THE CHURCH ROSARIO, WARTS, THE CLUB WITH HEDGE PATH THAT NIGHT, WHICH THEY SAY WAS FOUND NEAR HEDGE PET'S BODY AND NOT IN MCCRARY SHOUSE AS ROSARIO HAD CLAIM IT. ACCORDING TO COURT, A JUDGE GRANTED THOSE MOTIONS FOR 2 OUT OF STATE WITNESSES. SO WE COULD SEE THOSE 2 PEOPLE ON THE STAND WHEN THIS TRIAL STARTS IN

Vinnie Boccanfuso

Ryan Bisesi

New court filings in Faith Hedgepeth case ask roommate to face questions

Chapel Hill police on Faith Hedgepeth case

Murder suspect Issiah Ross testified on Wednesday in the 2022 double murder of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods.

THE DISTRICT IS HANDLING A POSSIBLE SHORTFALL IN THE EDUCATION SECTION OF WRAL DOT COM. >> ISAIAH ROSS TOOK THE STAND IN HIS TRIAL TODAY CLAIMING SELF-DEFENSE. ROSS IS CHARGED WITH 2 COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER FOR THE DEATHS OF LYRIC WOODS AND DEVIN CLARK BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022. WRAL'S MONICA CASEY WAS IN THE COURTROOM AS ROSS TOOK THE STAND. MONICA, WALK US THROUGH THE LATEST TESTIMONY. >> ROSS TESTIFIED THAT HE HAD MET DEVEN CLARKE ABOUT 5 OR 6 TIMES BEFORE THAT INCIDENT. HE ALSO SAID HE DID NOT KNOW AND HAD NEVER SPOKEN TO LINGER. >> THAT'S WHAT ISAIAH ROSS SAYS HAPPENED THAT NIGHT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022, HE TESTIFIED THAT DEVIN CLARK SHOT LYRIC WOODS ON THE REMOTE ATV PATH IN ORANGE >> AND SO WHEN YOU WHEN IT'S THIS GOOD AND HERE WITH THAT SENSE WHERE SHE DOESN'T, SHE HAD HER INSERTED PACKING UP. AND HE WAS HE WAS NOT. I WANT TO STAY ON TOP OF OR WHAT HE WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO IT'S WHAT SHE WANTED AROUND HERE. TO COVER OWNS A VAN AND THE COLOR. ALL THAT. AND IT WAS AROUND THIS AREA WHERE UCF'S FROST TESTIFIED THAT DEPP AND THREATENED TO KILL HIM. THEY STRUGGLED FOR THE GUN AND HE SHOT DEVON ROSS SAID HE THEN USED HIS QUARTERS IT TO MOVE THEIR BODIES OUT OF HIS CAR'S PATH. >> BUT THEN DECIDED TO GO BACK AND GET IT AFTER GETTING GAS TO STILL NEAR HIS BODY, WHICH WAS ALSO NEAR HER BODY. >> AND I I GOT SICK. I GOT SICK. >> ROSS HAS NOT FINISHED TESTIFYING. HE WILL BE BACK ON THE STAND TOMORROW MORNING LIVE

Issiah Ross claims self-defense in double murder trial

Issiah Ross murder trial

Christian Sykes remembers a video call with Issiah Ross where he said Ross told him he shot and killed Devin Clark and Lyric Woods in 2022.

THOMPSON WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER DAY 3 OF TESTIMONY IN THE TRIAL OF A MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING DEVIN CLARK AND LYRIC WOODS IN ORANGE COUNTY. >> THE PROSECUTION CONTINUES TO MAKE THEIR CASE TODAY. THEY CALLED A WITNESS WHO DESCRIBED A CONVERSATION WITH THE DEFENDANT, ISAIAH ROSS ABOUT THE MURDERS WRAL'S MONICA CASEY HAS BEEN IN COURT ALL DAY LONG. MONICA, TELL US ABOUT THE LATEST TESTIMONY HERE. >> WE HEARD FROM A FIREARMS EXPERT AND A SERGEANT WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ABOUT THEIR INVESTIGATIONS TODAY. BUT SOME OF THE MOST STARTLING TESTIMONY CAME FROM A WITNESS WHO WAS HERE THIS AFTERNOON. HE SAYS ISAIAH ROSS CONFESSED TO HIM. STORY SHARED VIA A SNAPCHAT VIDEO CALL WAS HONESTLY ANSWER THAT. DIDN'T BELIEVE IT. >> THEY DECIDED TO CREATE THE CHRISTIAN SITES TESTIFIED IN ORANGE COUNTY COURT RECALLING A CONVERSATION WITH ISAIAH ROSS OVER VIDEO. SYKES SAYS ROSS TOLD HIM HE HAD KILLED DEVIN CLARK AND LYRIC WOODS. HE TESTIFIED THAT ROSS EXPLAINED CLARK WAS PLAYING WITH A GUN POINTING. IT'S BEING AT HIM ANY TIME TO STOP. AND HE SAID THAT THE TIME. >> HE WENT FOR THE GUN, THEY WRESTLE FOR THE GUY. AND I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY IS. HE SAID THE GUN WENT OFF. BUT I DO KNOW HE SAID THE THEM AND DUMPED THE BODIES. THE PROSECUTOR ALSO PLAYED A 2022 RECORDING OF PSYCH SPEAKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN HE FIRST TOLD THEM ABOUT ROSS. IF HE LIED TO US THAT THE GUN FROM HIM AND HE SAID HE SHOT A AND THEN HE SAID THAT THE WHITE GIRL WHEN IT'S A WHITE GIRL, BUT HE SAID THE GIRL THAT WAS IN THE VACCINE WHO SAYS SHE SAW EVERYTHING'S OUR TURNAROUND MOST ARE PROSECUTORS ALSO SHOWED SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF ROSS DRIVING A WHITE CAR AT A GAS STATION ABOUT 2 MILES AWAY FROM THE MURDER SCENE. >> THE PROSECUTION SAID TODAY THEY HAVE 2 WITNESSES LEFT IN THEIR CASE. THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS THE ONLY WITNESS THEY MIGHT CALL WOULD BE ISAIAH ROSS HIMSELF. WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. YET, THOUGH, IF HE WILL BE TESTIFYING >> LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH, MONICA, CASEY, WRAL NEWS AND YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS TRIAL,

Friend of double murder suspect recalls his confession days after crime

Christian Sykes

Dr. Lee McCorkle has a doctorate degree in anthropology, and has studied Buddhist tradition, history and culture for years. McCorkle talked with WRAL about his experience watching the monks in North Carolina.

They're typically, uh, three branches of Buddhist traditions. Um, you know, you've got a lot of little micro, uh, groups. Um, but these are called Theravada Buddhists, and those Buddhists, uh, were probably connected to, um, an area in northwest, northern India, ancient India, perhaps even in the, you know, what, what is modern-day Pakistan. In Nepal. But these are Theravada Buddhists, and slowly over time as Buddhism became very successful in India, ancient India, uh, they were located in the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka, and then it went over into Southeast Asia. So you see these, uh, these Theravada monks in places like Thailand. Vietnam, Cambodia, and, um, they wear the, the, the robes of supposedly, uh, Buddhist monks wore the robes of the earth that were in the certain context and environments that they lived and, and, uh, you know, practiced. And walking goes all the way back to probably the Buddha himself, um, at least in the earliest traditions of Buddhism that we have from the archaeological and textual evidence. And Um, so these monks are, um, walking, you know, from one place to another, especially in times in which there's a lot of, um, issues, whether it's war or famine or, uh, anger. And I was talking to a friend earlier today, and we was trying to tell him about what they are. And of course, they're kind of like a lighthouse. So when they're walking in this way in front of people that are not monastic or not even Buddhists, they are giving off this energy of a lighthouse saying, you know, we have, uh, a sort of spiritual energy. Um, and, and the other thing that, that really kind of, uh, sparked my interest today was that like Star Wars fans out there, that Yoda would take this negative energy from the scyth, and he would take it and he would absorb it, and then he would dissipate it so that that negative energy was, uh, was, was not there anymore in the, uh, in the public, right? So what you see with monks like this from the Theravada tradition is that they're walking is that they realize there is a problem, um, out there in our regular world, and they are taking it upon themselves to show that there is a peaceful, nonviolent solution. And that they want to make people not angry anymore. And we, I, I mean, I, I can't tell you how many friends from Charlotte and South Carolina who have written me and texted me and said, oh my God, just all my anger and all my, Um, you know, depression or all my, all my negative energy just went away after seeing them, you know, and it's, it's really special. I mean, I know every, every religious tradition has their own sort of, uh, benefits and, and, uh, really unique things. But the Buddhists, uh, there's just something about the smiles and the, the idea that they want to take, uh, take away all those, uh, negative sort of, uh, things from our society as non-monastic people. But it is incredibly special to see it in America. Um, this experience in the context, um, it, it just was so powerful. I mean, a lot of my friends have been just texting me left and right. Charlotte had amazing turnouts for them. And um I just think that, uh, you know, all those years of studying and then, you know, kind of, you know, understanding what, um, my, my sort of adult academic life was about, was in a culmination, you know, watching these guys, uh, coming down with, I mean, they had a, you know, they have very little on, um, they have smiles on their faces. There's extreme amount of, of powerful energy, I guess you would call it. And And I'm not being supernatural about it. There's just something about, you know, how people radiate. And they radiate and, and they, they, their smiles were lit up and they, I mean, just seeing the, uh, I mean, I just can't even really comprehend anything like it other than seeing maybe the president come down with the motorcade because there were so many people. Um, law enforcement, fire department, ambulances, support. I mean, it looked like something out of the Tour de France. Buddhist, uh, intellectual and spiritual practices, uh, have been in the United States at least from the 50s and 60s. So I can't imagine that it hasn't happened in America before. Um, I've never noticed it in my lifetime on this kind of level. Um, it's clearly picking up steam. I was told today, I don't know if this is accurate, you'll have to, to double check, but I was told they surpassed over a million followers, um, on, I guess their Facebook page, and that this thing is picking up steam. Like I, I really didn't, I really didn't think, I know Charlotte really showed out, and I'm sure Raleigh's gonna be a, a, an even, uh, you know, bigger probably show of, of people. What we are seeing is a very, very rare thing. And, uh, it was something that's growing and it's good, I can't even imagine what it's gonna be like when it gets to DC when those monks enter DC um, uh, the crowds will probably be massive. I mean, just imagine, you know, when they started out, probably people thought. Oh, these guys can't walk, you know, 2000, 2500 miles from Texas to DC. It was a beautiful experience. Probably a lot of people don't get to have those kinds of experiences, especially in a secular sort of society like America. But I think one of the things that I take away from it is really about the political world we live in, of course, uh, not just in America, but geopolitically around the world, there's a lot of people that are fearful of where things are going. And I think the Buddhist response from these monks is that that's why we needed to do this. I heard today from various people around me that they're not going to stop in DC, that they're going to continue this and they're gonna take it to other countries as well. So, I hope that's true. It was just something you don't see very often, and, and it was a powerful in its simplicity, you know, it's just, it's one of those things where it's just like, it was very simple, but it was not very simple. And it's, the tradition of the Theravada Buddhists and Buddhism in general is, is, that's, that's sort of how they work. That's how they operate. And, And it was really nice to see, especially in a country that is not predominantly Buddhist. I had some people ask me about, well, you know, are they trying to convert people and this kind of thing. And, and they're not trying to convert anybody to, to Buddhism. They're just trying to be that lighthouse and trying to, to, to bring a better world. And I think that we can all, as, as opinionated as I can get sometimes, we can all take something special away from that.

'Be that lighthouse': Doctor of anthropology breaks down meaning behind 'Walk for Peace'

Buddhist monks approach the Triangle in their walk for peace

A group of Buddhist monks and their dog, Aloka, have reached Charlotte as part of a cross-country "Walk For Peace" ending in Washington, D.C. They plan to arrive in Raleigh around Jan. 24.

DRIVE IS FROM 11:30AM, TO 04:30PM, AT TEXAS ROADHOUSE ON CAPITAL BOULEVARD. 2300 MILES OVER 120 DAYS. BUDDHIST MONKS MAKING THEIR WAY FROM TEXAS TO DC AND SOON THEY'LL BE COMING THROUGH OUR AREA. >> WRAL'S MONICA CASEY CAUGHT UP WITH PEOPLE WHO SAW THESE MONKS IN AND AROUND CHARLOTTE TODAY. >> IN THE TAR HEEL STATE, THESE MONKS ARE POUNDING THE PAVEMENT FOR PEACE. THAT IS. >> SPECIAL TO SEE IT IN AMERICA. LEAVE MCCORKLE HAS A PHD IN ANTHROPOLOGY AND HAS STUDIED THE BUDDHIST TRADITION. HISTORY AND CULTURE FOR YEARS. HE SAW THE MONKS IN CONCORD AND KANNAPOLIS ON FRIDAY. I'M JUST COMPLETELY. >> SATURATED WITH >> HOW SPECIAL IT WAS. IT WAS QUIET. IT WAS PEACEFUL. PEOPLE JUST EXTENDING THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR THESE JOURNEY. FORMER DUKE BASKETBALL PLAYER ROBERT BREAK. HE AND HIS WIFE WATCHED THE MONKS IN CHARLOTTE. HE SAYS RATHER THAN TALKING ABOUT PEACE. THEY ARE DEMONSTRATING WHAT PEACE LOOKS LIKE. AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE CAUSE IS AND THIS TIME THAT THIS TIME IN OUR WORLD AND OUR NATION. >> BIZ. LOT OF CHAOS AND PEOPLE, A STAR FROM WORK LOVE AND UNITY AMONG SAY THEY ARE WALKING FROM TEXAS TO DC TO RAISE AWARENESS OF PEACE LOVING KINDNESS AND COMPASSION. WE CAN ALL. >> AS OPINIONATED AS I CAN GET. SOMETIMES WE CAN ALL TAKE SOMETHING SPECIAL WAY FROM NOT THE MONKS PATH IS PROJECTED TO TAKE HIM THROUGH RALLY IN THE COMING DAYS. WE HAVE A LINK FOR YOU CAN TRACK THEIR ROUTE ON OUR WEBSITE. >> REPORTING IN RALEIGH, MONICA, CASEY, WRAL NEWS. THE MONKS DO SAY THAT THEY OFTEN RECEIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO GREET THEM ON THE WALK FOR PEACE, FACEBOOK PAGE. THEY HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS. >> THEY SUGGEST A SIMPLE AND RESPECTFUL WAY TO DO THIS BY PLACING YOUR PALMS TOGETHER AND BOWING TO THEM. THE YOU SEE THE PERSON DEMONSTRATE HERE IN THE VIDEO. SOME OF THE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND IS TO AVOID ANY PHYSICAL CONTACT, THINGS LIKE A HUG OR HANDSHAKE UNLESS THE MONKS TO EXTEND THAT INVITATION. >> AND IF THEY AVOID EYE CONTACT, IT'S NOT AN INSULT. WHAT THEY DON'T RESPOND TO YOU. IT THAT'S ACTUALLY A SIGN OF RESPECT. THEY SAY ALSO CROWDS GATHER, PLEASE. THEY ASKED TO MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR LEAVE AND WE STILL HAVE A CLEAR PATH FOR THE MOST TO MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH. IT IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW MANY EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE VIDEO AND SOME OF THEM ARE BAREFOOT. I KNOW IT IS AMAZING. THE DEDICATION THAT THEY TRULY US AND I LOVE THE YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THE PETS THEY BRING WITH IT. I'M GLAD THAT THE DOGS MADE SOME ISSUE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ON THE NEWSCAST. HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER IS GOOD BY THE TIME THEY MAKE IT TO OUR AREA, NOT TOO COLD. YOU KNOW, NEXT WEEK, A SCHOOL DURING THE WEEK, BUT WE START TO SEE A LITTLE UPTICK IN TEMPERATURES BY THE END OF THE WEEK. SO

Mark Bergin

Buddhist monks walking for peace in North Carolina

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Michelle Mackonochie - familiar to WRAL viewers after five years as part of the morning news team - will anchor the 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts with Dan Haggerty, and the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts with Gerald Owens. 

Monica Casey

Recent Work

Watch · 2:12New court filings in Faith Hedgepeth case ask roommate to face questions

Watch · 2:04Issiah Ross claims self-defense in double murder trial

Watch · 2:28Friend of double murder suspect recalls his confession days after crime

Watch · 7:30'Be that lighthouse': Doctor of anthropology breaks down meaning behind 'Walk for Peace'

Watch · 2:50Buddhist monks walking for peace in North Carolina