Suspect charged in double murder
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on August 24, 2006 2:09 PM
Goldsboro police officers have charged a suspect with two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted first degree murder in connection with Monday’s double homicide on Olivia Lane.
Roderick Miles Davis Jr., 23, of Slaughter Street, was arrested without incident at about 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Goldsboro Police Department for the murders of James Lee Croom, 24, of Bizzell Court, and Trasond Javoy Gerald, 20, of Prince Avenue, Goldsboro police Sgt. David Kelly said.
Davis is being held in the Wayne County Jail. Bond was refused by the county’s magistrate’s office and Davis had his first court appearance today.
Croom and Gerald were traveling east on Olivia Lane in a 2006 Dodge Stratus when Kelly said Davis allegedly fired at the side of the vehicle with an assault rifle at about 8:15 p.m. Monday. Croom, the driver, was pronounced dead at the scene and Gerald, the passenger, was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Otavis Gerquel McKinnon, 18, of Courtyard Circle, told police officers Monday that he was walking on the 900 block of Olivia Lane when the shooting occurred and was hit by a stray bullet, Kelly said. He was taken to Wayne Memorial, where he was treated and released.
Upon further investigation, Kelly said police officers determined that McKinnon was a passenger in the Dodge Stratus when the shooting took place.
Kelly said Wednesday morning that shell casings found at the scene Monday night were sent to the State Bureau of Investigations office for ballistics analysis. Investigators believe an assault rifle was used in the shooting, but Kelly said he couldn’t provide any additional information on the firearm.
Although a suspect has been charged, Kelly said the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with more information about the incident is encouraged to call the Goldsboro Police Department at 580-4210 or 580-4217. Crime Stoppers is also taking calls at 735-2255.
The fatalities were the third and fourth homicides in the city this year.