Gerri Newkirk, a 30-year-old woman from Clinton, NC, was tragically killed on January 20, 2015. She was shot through her bedroom window at Springwood Apartments. The incident occurred around 11:45 p.m. when seven shots were fired into the front bedroom of her apartment. Gerri Newkirk was lying in bed when she was hit by two projectiles, one entering her leg and the other entering her lower face area, before exiting and re-entering her chest. She died at the scene from loss of blood.
Her three children were in a second bedroom and were unharmed.
The investigation revealed that the intended target of the shooting was Gerri Newkirk's boyfriend, Dartez Faulk. The shooter, Antonio Cyree Lamont Lockamy, 22, was reportedly seeking revenge after a dispute with Faulk. Lockamy had lost a fight to Faulk earlier that day, and a video of the scuffle had circulated, making Lockamy feel humiliated. In retaliation, Lockamy obtained a .380 caliber Hi-Point handgun and went to a friend's apartment with two other men. At 11:42 p.m., Lockamy fired seven shots through the window into the front bedroom where Gerri Newkirk and Dartez Faulk were present. Faulk managed to escape unharmed, but Newkirk was fatally wounded.
Lockamy was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and discharging a firearm into occupied property. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 16 to 20¼ years in prison. The case was presented by Assistant District Attorneys Arneatha Gillis and Jennifer Barnes, and Lockamy was represented by William Morgan of Jacksonville. The presiding judge, Joshua Willey, sentenced Lockamy to an active term of no fewer than 192 months and no more than 243 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.
The tragic death of Gerri Newkirk left a lasting impact on the community of Clinton, NC. Her children were placed in the care of relatives, and the residents of Springwood Apartments were deeply affected by the violence. The case highlighted the devastating consequences of retaliatory violence and the importance of addressing underlying conflicts before they escalate into tragic outcomes.
