The January 22 murder and shooting off Ward Drive was drug related, according to the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.

While Lieutenant Bobby Martin would not elaborate, he said both Brandon Watson and Lester Kearney allegedly fired shots at the three victims — Antonio Mills, who died; Mills’ uncle, Elton Mills, 55, and Tony Sessoms, 25.

The victims were from Roanoke Rapids and Elton Mills and Sessoms continue to recover from their wounds.

Elton Mills and Sessoms were shot in the lower parts of their body with semiautomatic handguns, Martin said.

Kearney

Watson and Kearney face charges of murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury with intent to kill, possession of a firearm by a felon and shooting into a occupied dwelling.

They both have March 2 court dates.

Rawlings

Investigation also led to Watson’s girlfriend, Tiffany Rawlings, being charged as an accessory after the fact for allegedly attempting to hide her boyfriend, who was caught Sunday night in Raleigh. Deputy Josh Clark and Lieutenant George Evans received information he might be there.

Watson

Watson was spotted in Littleton Friday night and a foot chase ensued. Watson was able to escape and most likely got a ride to Raleigh soon after, Martin said.

Kearney, was arrested without incident last week at a dwelling in Chapel Hill with assistance of the city’s police department and the State Bureau of Investigation.

He was jailed in Halifax without the opportunity for bond.

The sheriff’s office received a call of shots fired shortly after midnight January 22 and learned Mills was murdered. Two other people in the Ward Drive mobile home were shot.

As deputies responded an additional 911 call came through that said witnesses were involved in a chase with the suspect vehicle, which was last seen around the Highway 48 and Highway 158 area of Roanoke Rapids.

Investigators learned two men entered the home of Mills and a struggle ensued. The struggle ended after Mills was repeatedly shot.