Man charged with murder in connection with triple homicide
LUMBERTON — A Lumberton man has been charged with murder in connection with the deaths of three men on Friday.
Dekota Ray Locklear, 23, of Lumberton, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, discharging a weapon in a vehicle to incite fear and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. Locklear was placed in the Robeson County Detention Center without bond.
Dekota Locklear is accused in the fatal shootings of 20-year-old Da’Vern Inman of Orrum; 24-year-old Ryan Locklear of Pembroke; and 20-year-old Treyvon Mitchell of Lumberton.
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Billboard being used to help solve missing persons cases
LUMBERTON — The sight of a billboard on N.C. 711 brought a woman to tears Friday afternoon as the search for her husband continues.
Friday marked the fifth year anniversary of Billy Gene Hammonds’ disappearance. He was last seen about 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 26, 2016. Billy Gene went to visit his mother on Pinwheel Circle in Lumberton. He said he’d be back in 30 minutes but Pamela Hammonds never saw her husband again.
The billboard also contains a photo of Delwin Locklear and Jessica Lowery. Locklear “disappeared from a wooded area behind his residence in Maxton” in July of 2004.
Lowery has been missing since Dec. 20, 2005. She was last spotted walking on Beam Road after leaving her Lumberton home about 3 a.m.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Hammonds, Locklear or Lowery is asked to call the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-671-3100.
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County: Planned solar farm to bring in $65 million
ROCKINGHAM — An Asheville-based renewable energy company is planning a major solar farm project that county officials expect will bring in $65 million of investment to Richmond County.
Pine Gate Renewables, LLC is buying land owned by Z.V. Pate, LLC, one of the largest landowners in Richmond County, along the U.S. 74 bypass where the solar farm will be built. The Richmond County Planning/Zoning Board of Adjustments approved the project at their Nov. 9 meeting, at which Z.V. Pate was represented by the company’s president, Hew Fulton, and Gene McLaurin, president of Quality Oil, which is a subsidiary of Z.V. Pate.
Tom Terrell, a partner with the law firm Fox Rockschild, LLP, who represented Pine Gate and its subsidiary, Juno Solar, LLC, at the Nov. 9 public hearing, said that this project, along with a “sister” site in Scotland County, will produce enough energy to provide 80,000 homes in the region with clean energy.
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Rebecca Brown celebrates her 100th birthday
BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. — Rebecca Brown, a longtime resident of Dundee Manor, celebrated her 100th birthday on Wednesday.
She was born on Nov. 24, 1921, in Darlington. Later, she got married and moved to Marlboro County.
Brown had four children, all of whom are deceased.
She is a member of Sandy Grove Baptist Church and is the oldest resident at Dundee.
She said she was “alright” about turning 100.
A celebration was held at Dundee for Brown.
Tammy Perkins, activities director at Dundee, said Brown is caring, loving, and very friendly.
“She gets along with everybody and is always smiling,” Perkins said.
Brown loves to go outside, play Bingo, and read her Bible.
When asked for her secret to longevity, she said, “Do the right thing.”
From Champion media reports