Catrice Lacole Murchison, a 30-year-old African American woman, tragically lost her life on February 23, 2020, in Clarkton, North Carolina. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning at a mobile home park on Tina Lane. Authorities received a 911 call around 1:30 a.m. reporting a shooting at the residence. Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered the bodies of Catrice Lacole Murchison, 27-year-old Ronnie Lebert Kelly, and 60-year-old Guy Lennon Barden Jr. inside the home. A fourth victim, 69-year-old Hazel Epps, survived the attack by playing dead after being shot in the torso.
The suspect in the case, Taurean Reshaul Johnson, a 36-year-old man from Clarkton, was identified shortly after the incident. Warrants were issued for his arrest on three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Johnson turned himself in to the Bladen County Sheriff's Office later that same day. He was taken into custody without bond and faced his first court appearance on March 16, 2020.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and investigators have not recovered any weapons related to the killings. The Bladen County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the case, urging anyone with information to come forward. The community mourns the loss of Catrice Lacole Murchison and the other victims, as they seek justice for this senseless act of violence.
