Marcus Lester Fisher, a 39-year-old male from Dunn, North Carolina, was found dead on August 17, 2017, in the backyard of a home located at 2028 Bailey Road in Coats, North Carolina. The Harnett County Sheriff's Office responded to a disturbance call at the residence around 12:30 a.m. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Fisher's body along with two men at the scene. An autopsy conducted by the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Raleigh confirmed that Fisher died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
The investigation into Fisher's death led to the arrest of two individuals: 33-year-old Robin Chalmers Brown of Lillington and 37-year-old Michael Todd Denning of Coats. Both men were initially charged with concealing and failing to report a death. Further investigation revealed that Denning was also charged with first-degree murder, while Brown faced additional charges of accessory after the fact in connection with Fisher's death.
During the investigation, authorities discovered another body, identified through dental records as 27-year-old Ashley Castillo, in a separate location approximately 20 miles away from where Fisher's body was found. The connection between the two cases remains unclear, but Paige Nicole Carter, a 26-year-old female from Dunn, was charged with concealing and failing to report a death in the Castillo case. Carter also faced charges of accessory after the fact and felony conspiracy in connection with Fisher's death.
The suspects were held at the Harnett County Detention Center with substantial bonds. Denning's bond was set at $1.3 million, while Brown's bond was set at $1.25 million. Carter's bond was initially set at $500,000 but was later increased by an additional $250,000, bringing the total to $750,000. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Fisher's death and the potential connections to other cases continued as authorities sought to uncover the full extent of the events leading to his tragic demise.
