On November 23, 2014, 76-year-old African American male James C. Stocks was found deceased in his residence at 7418 Turnbull Road in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Family members became concerned when they couldn't reach him and alerted authorities. Upon arrival, a relative forced entry into the home, discovering Mr. Stocks lying in a pool of blood on the living room floor. Investigators determined that he had been shot during a robbery in which cash and firearms were stolen.
In the course of their investigation, law enforcement officials arrested two suspects: 20-year-old Brandon Avery and 22-year-old Brandon Stewart. Both men were charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, and two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery. Authorities linked them not only to the death of Mr. Stocks but also to the fatal shooting of 72-year-old James Bryant, another African American male, who was found dead in his Fayetteville home on Oxford Street the day after Mr. Stocks' body was discovered. Investigators believe that robbery was the motive in both cases and that at least one of the suspects was acquainted with Mr. Bryant.
The arrests were particularly shocking to the Stocks family, as Brandon Avery had grown up nearby and was well-known to them. He had spent considerable time at the Stocks' home, staying overnight and forming close bonds with the family. Reflecting on the tragedy, Mr. Stocks' son, Anthony Stocks, described his father as a "hard-working man" who "ain’t bothered nobody" and was "a loving man." The family faced the difficult task of mourning their patriarch during the Thanksgiving holiday, a time they would have otherwise spent together in celebration.
Funeral services for James C. Stocks were held on December 1, 2014, at Grace & Mercy Global Ministries Church, followed by burial in the church cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Shirley; sons, James C. Stocks, Anthony Stocks, and Thomas Hair; daughter, Priscilla Walker; brothers, LV Stocks and Roosevelt Stocks; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
