Pair arraigned for murder
By Gary Popp
Published in News on August 7, 2011 12:24 AM
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News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
Gary Metzger is led from the Goldsboro Police Department on Friday afternoon.
The Goldsboro husband and wife arrested Thursday for killing the man's sister could face the death penalty.
Gary Metzger, 54, and Ann Metzger, 34, were each charged with murder Friday morning in connection with the death of Jean Metzger Hubbard, 66, of Goldsboro.
The couple stood in Wayne County-issued orange garb before Superior Court Judge Arnold Jones, where both suspects requested court-appointed attorneys and no bond was set.
Ms. Hubbard's body was found by authorities Thursday around 11:30 a.m. behind the Metzgers' home in Country View mobile home park near U.S. 70.
Within an hour before the remains were discovered, the couple left their home on foot after noticing police had arrived in their neighborhood, Goldsboro police Sgt. Paige Learnard said.
After crossing U.S. 70 , the couple eluded police, who used a helicopter and K-9 units in the search, for nearly five hours before being taken into custody nearly one-half mile behind Wilber's barbecue restaurant on U.S. 70.
Ms. Learnard said the police were running "loose surveillance" on the Metzgers as they walked from their home, but the couple were somehow able to lose the lawmen in the heavily wooded area.
Investigators with the Goldsboro police searched the Metzgers' mobile home for more than an hour Friday, but refused to comment on what items were seized.
Ms. Learnard said Thursday the condition of the body has made it difficult to determine the cause of death.
Ms. Hubbard had not been seen since leaving her place of employment, Goldsboro News-Argus, on Friday afternoon.
Personnel at the newspaper reported Ms. Hubbard missing to Goldsboro police on Monday.
The missing person investigation began early Tuesday by the police department's Investigations Division.
During the investigation, the Metzgers were cooperative and provided information to police to assist in locating their relative, Ms. Learnard said.
Police discovered Ms. Hubbard's Chevrolet Cavalier in the parking lot of the Walmart on Spence Avenue Tuesday after receiving information from the Metzgers, Ms. Learnard said.
She added that the Metzgers informed police that the two had driven the vehicle to the parking lot without Ms. Hubbard in the car.
For purposes of the ongoing investigation, Ms. Learnard refused to remark on how the Metzgers took possession of the vehicle or why it was left at that location.
Ms. Hubbard took out a protective order against Ann Metzger earlier this year. Up to this point, police have not been able to reveal why the order was issued and whether it was active at the time of Ms. Hubbard's death.
Ms. Hubbard's remains were scheduled to be taken to the Medical Examiner's Office in Chapel Hill Thursday.