On October 31, 2023, at approximately 2:00 p.m., deputies from the Robeson County Sheriff's Office responded to a call regarding an unresponsive individual at a residence in the 600 block of Back Swamp Road, near Lumberton, North Carolina. Upon arrival, they discovered 38-year-old Stephen Locklear deceased inside his home. The circumstances of his death prompted authorities to initiate a homicide investigation.
Subsequent investigations led to the identification of two suspects: brothers Richard Alexander Hardin, 32, of Red Springs, and Gatlin Ray Hardin, 29, of St. Pauls. On August 15, 2024, Richard Hardin was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, felony conspiracy, and discharging a weapon within an enclosure to incite fear. At the time of his arrest, he was already in custody at the Robeson County Detention Center on unrelated charges. Following his arrest, he was held without bond.
Efforts to apprehend his brother, Gatlin Hardin, continued until August 30, 2024, when he was arrested and charged with the same offenses: first-degree murder, felony conspiracy, and discharging a weapon within an enclosure to incite fear. Both brothers are currently detained at the Robeson County Detention Center without bond. The Robeson County Sheriff's Office Homicide Division is leading the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force. Authorities have urged anyone with additional information about the case to contact the Robeson County Sheriff's Office at 910-671-3170 or 910-671-3100.
