A search of two cell phones and Instagram accounts helped a Halifax County Sheriff’s Office investigator obtain information in the May 12 shooting death of a Hollister man, the documents show.
Three people have been charged thus far in the shooting death of 19-year-old Quincy Mills and investigators are looking for a male juvenile who is under the age of 18, the sheriff’s office said earlier this week.
The statement of probable cause written in the search warrants by Detective Travis Clark notes that Mills’ father located his son on Evans Farm Road, this occurring after his girlfriend could not get him to respond to text messages and a phone call which went to voicemail.
Mills had picked his girlfriend up shortly before 4 p.m. and then went to watch television until he told her around 4:45 p.m. he had to meet someone he went to school with.
At 6:17 Mills’ girlfriend texted him and there was no response and another text sent at 8:12 p.m. did not go through.
The girlfriend then called Mills’ father, who also tried to reach his son but received no response.
Communication between Mills and an Instagram screen name linked to Devonte Sykes, one of the people charged in the case, showed the meeting was about narcotics and Mills’ girlfriend believed he was going to sell Sykes marijuana which, according to the search warrant, he had done in the past.
Mills was supposed to have gone to Rocky Mount on May 11 for a meeting but he didn’t feel like it.
On May 12, the day of the shooting death, there was another Instagram conversation about drugs and a meeting on Evans Farm Road was arranged.
There is no indication in the search of what went wrong but on Monday a search warrant was served at Cleveland Street in Rocky Mount which led to the arrest of Sykes, the seizure of two cell phones and a rifle.
According to the search warrant written by Clark, Sykes admitted to being at Evans Farm Road with others.
Sykes, Zakevion Hilliard, who surrendered to the sheriff’s office Tuesday, and Eric Devon Hinton Jr. have been charged with first-degree murder in the case.
The Halifax County Clerk of Court office said today the men have June 27 district court dates after having first appearances this week.
Lieutenant Shane Guyant said investigators continue to look for the juvenile.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Crimestoppers through its website or by calling 252-583-4444.
