Lieutenant Bobby Martin of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said Derrick Mayo, 32, and Marke Parker, 18, appeared in district court Wednesday but their cases were bound to the Grand Jury. They are the uncles of Marquisa Moody, who died when an improperly stored weapon was discharged at an apartment in the Weldon housing projects.
Mayo has been charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, storing a weapon in a manner which is accessible by a minor, conspiracy and simple possession of marijuana.
Parker faces the storing of a weapon and conspiracy charges, Martin said.
In a news release, Martin said Deputy Joe Puhak arrived at 106 Beech Court in the Weldon housing projects shortly before 6 p.m. on August 10 and found several people screaming and upset in the home. Mayo and Parker were among the individuals there.
Puhak discovered a child had been shot and located and secured the weapon that was discharged.
The two men charged were home with the children when the shooting occurred, Martin said.
The weapon, a .308 bolt action rifle, was allegedly stored in an upstairs closet in Mayo's room. The children discovered the weapon and the gun discharged, fatally wounding the child.
The child was taken to Halifax Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.
The men told investigators they found the gun Sunday in an unknown location at the edge of the woods. No record of the gun being stolen has been found, Martin said this afternoon and that part of the investigation continues.
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