Suspect charged in home invasion
By Lee Williams
Published in News on September 2, 2007 2:00 AM
One man is in custody, but more suspects are being sought in Friday's home invasion that left one of the alleged armed intruders dead.
Kayloe Lemont Middleton, 25, of Mount Olive, was charged Friday with first-degree burglary and first-degree kidnapping.
Middleton, Antione Logan Chestnut, 19, of Dudley, and another suspect are accused of barging into a family's home on Old Mount Olive Highway in Dudley around 12:30 a.m. looking for money.
The men, armed with handguns, gathered the occupants including the homeowner, his girlfriend and their four children, 4, 5, 5, 8. The robbers held the family at gunpoint, while they ransacked the mobile home.
During the robbery, one of the men shot at the family, but the male occupant reached for his gun and fired back, striking Chestnut several times.
Chestnut, who is a convicted felon, died at the scene.
The other two robbers fled in a dark-colored vehicle, officials say.
Chestnut's body will be sent to the state crime lab in Chapel Hill to determine the exact cause of death.
More arrests could be forthcoming in the case, Wayne County Sheriff's Carey Winders said.
The incident has been ruled an act of self-defense.
The homeowner, whose name has been pending the completion of the investigation, will not be charged in Chestnut's death, officials said.
Middleton, who is also a convicted felon, is being held at the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives are still working to catch the third suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call the Wayne County Sheriff's Office at 731-1482 or Crime Stoppers at 735-2255.