Detective J.L. Matthews of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said Gene Arnold “Root Root” Hawkins was charged with assault with a deadly inflicting serious injury and possession of a weapon while in custody.
Nakeen Saunders and Hawkins had a misunderstanding and Hawkins allegedly assaulted him with a piece of metal fashioned into a weapon, Lieutenant Bobby Martin said.
Saunders was assaulted in the face, head and lips. None of the injuries were life threatening.
Hawkins has a $10,000 bond for the assault and a May 5 court date. It was not clear whether Hawkins would be taken elsewhere, Martin said.
Hawkins was charged in October with Salmon’s murder and there was evidence of a robbery the day Salmon was murdered at his business.
Hawkins has a previous criminal record and was recently serving a 32-month prison stretch for an assault occurring in Warren County. He was supposed to be released from prison the day he was charged with Salmon’s murder.
Hawkins is eligible to receive the death penalty in Salmon’s murder.
Investigators began to target Hawkins in May but have declined to elaborate on what evidence allegedly linked the man to the crime.
Salmon’s last day began when he left home around 7 a.m. and stopped at what was the Trade Mart where he drank coffee and greeted customers.
Around 10 a.m. he arrived at his business at 1135 Roanoke Avenue and shortly after spoke with his wife who called on her cell phone to tell him she was at Wal-Mart and ask if he needed anything.
Salmon liked to make coffee and tea and told his wife he needed cups. He also told her he was going to get a haircut and discussed going to the Duke basketball game that Friday.
He got up to see what size cups he needed and continued a casual conversation with his wife.
Salmon usually came home for lunch between noon and 12:30 p.m. and would call to let his wife know if he wasn’t coming.
Around 12:30 p.m. he didn’t show up. His wife called another business in the block to request they look to see if his vehicle was there, which it was.
She left home and went to the business and at approximately 1:06 p.m. discovered her husband’s body on the floor.
Salmon died from a close range gunshot wound to the head and was most likely killed between 10:10 a.m. and 1:06 p.m.
There is to be no profanity and there is to be no character assassination even if the person being written about is a suspect in a crime.
Comments that presume knowledge of a person’s home life, financial situation or other personal details will be not be posted as will comments which presume legal knowledge.
All comments must be on the topic of the story and offer the reader’s insight on a particular issue. rrspin.com will cease posting comments if the editor determines readers are infighting with one another and not staying on the topic of a story.
rrspin.com prefers readers use their real names because anonymous posters are accountable for their comments just as readers who post their names are.