Joyce Price Eaton, a 45-year-old white female, was found dead on June 12, 2014, in McLeansville, North Carolina. Her body was discovered by landscapers on AT&T Drive between Mount Hope Church Road and Interstate 40-85. Eaton had suffered a gunshot wound and severe cuts around her neck. The investigation revealed that Eaton had been in a months-long relationship with Anthony Clay Campbell, a 53-year-old white male from Mocksville, North Carolina.
The relationship, which began as a business association, eventually became personal. Campbell, who was married with two adult children, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Eaton's death.
Eaton's family reported her missing to High Point police on June 12, 2014, after she was last seen at her workplace at Verizon in Burlington. The investigation led authorities to believe that Campbell was near the Verizon store when Eaton left, near Eaton's car in Hillsborough on the night of June 11, and near the location where Eaton's body was found. Eaton's car was discovered in Hillsborough, with tests indicating the presence of blood. Campbell had no prior criminal record and was described as an independent entrepreneur.
Campbell pleaded guilty to the murder of Joyce Price Eaton and was sentenced to life without parole. The motive for the murder was attributed to "love, greed, and deceit," as Campbell and Eaton had started experiencing money issues in their relationship. Eaton, a mother of four children, had an estranged husband at the time of her death. The case involved extensive physical evidence and documents obtained during the investigation, which ultimately led to Campbell's arrest and conviction.
