LAURINBURG — Scotland County Sheriff’s Deputies believe that a missing Laurinburg man is now dead after being missing for a month.
Herbert “JR” Strickland was reported missing on Dec. 18 at around 11:30 p.m. in the area of his residence on Carolina Bay Road. Scotland County sheriff’s reports state he was seen walking out of his residence and getting into a dark-colored SUV. Witnesses reported to have heard several gunshots just prior to the vehicle leaving the scene.
According to what Sheriff’s Office detectives told WLNC, the vehicle Strickland was believed to have gotten into was found burned on McRainey Road in St. Pauls recently.
“Through exhaustive investigative measures and a massive search that was conducted this weekend has now declared this investigation to be a homicide. We are proceeding forth in pursuing the identified involved suspects,” said Sadonikov.
She added deputies have recovered a car belonging to one of the suspects in the homicide.
“We were able to recover one of the suspect’s vehicles, which was found completely burned on McRainey Road. And that’s in St. Pauls,” Sadonikov said. “This vehicle, although burned to such an extent, is currently being processed with the assistance of the FBI and SBI. Investigators have found essential items of evidence from that vehicle.”
The belief is that the homicide was the result of a botched robbery.
The Sheriff’s Office is working with the FBI and SBI to process the essential items of evidence from the vehicle. The items recovered led to the conclusion that the case is a homicide.
Anyone with information is being urged to call the Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at 910-266-4332.
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