Indictments returned against Dudley teens
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on May 4, 2005 1:52 PM
Three teen-agers have been indicted by the Wayne County grand jury on charges of murdering a man near Dudley.
The three are accused of the fatal shooting of Billy Joe "B.J." Gregory on Oct. 15, 2004, in his home at 201 Hazelwood Drive.
James Marqui Bowden, 17, of Daffodil Drive, Dudley -- then a sophomore at Southern Wayne High School -- was arrested Oct. 22.
The other two suspects, Donovan Ray Lofton, 18, of South Running Deer Circle, Dudley, and Michael Omar Mozingo, 18, of Brentwood Drive, Dudley, were arrested Oct. 30. Lofton was a student at Wayne Community College, and Mozingo was a senior at Southern Wayne High School.
Investigators have said only that the shooting was drug-related.
When deputies responded to a 911 call, they found Gregory with a single gunshot wound to his chest. Gregory was taken by ambulance to Wayne Memorial Hospital, but died soon after arriving.
Bowden, Lofton and Mozingo were indicted on charges of first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery and conspiracy.
Indictments also were returned on a man and two teen-agers who are facing charges in connection with the burglary and assault of a resident on Nick Drive in New Hope.
Josh Scott Lane, 19, and twins Justin Allen Lane, 17, and Preston Lee Lane, 17, all of Eva's Lane, Stantonsburg, were indicted on charges of first-degree burglary and assault inflicting serious injury.
The three were accused of entering a home Feb. 11 and severely beating the resident. The victim, Richard Reese, underwent surgery for his injuries and was released four days later from Wayne Memorial Hospital.
Detective have said the assault stemmed from an earlier argument.
The grand jury returned 36 other true bills during its monthly meeting. Fifteen people were indicted on such property crimes as burglary, breaking and entering, larceny and possession of stolen goods. Seven were indicted for drug offenses.
Grand jurors handed up four indictments for assault charges, three each for robbery and fraud charges, two for traffic violations and one each for a weapons charge and a sex offense.
Three people were indicted as habitual felons. If they are convicted of a fourth, non-overlapping charge, then they would be sentenced to a significantly longer term.
Several people were indicted on charges in more than one crime category.
The grand jury could not act on six bills, because witnesses were not present. The jurors also did not return a true bill on one indictment.