On January 23, 2023, 61-year-old Jerry Edward Martin was found deceased in his home in Bladenboro, North Carolina. An autopsy conducted by the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office in Raleigh determined that Mr. Martin had been fatally shot.
Following an investigation, on March 28, 2023, four individuals were charged in connection with Mr. Martin's death. The suspects include 35-year-old Daniel Gene Autry of Elizabethtown, 30-year-old James Todd Harrelson of Bladenboro, 35-year-old Jessica Lynne Sloan of Bladenboro, and 21-year-old Tanner Scott Harrelson of Bladenboro. Each was charged with first-degree murder, discharging a weapon into occupied property, and felony conspiracy. Additionally, Autry and James Harrelson faced charges for possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the time of their arrest, all four suspects were held at the Bladen County Detention Center without bond. Prior to these charges, on February 14, 2023, Autry had been arrested on drug-related charges following a vehicle stop, during which Sloan was also cited for possession of marijuana and carrying a concealed weapon.
Mr. Martin was remembered as a loving son, husband, father, and grandfather who enjoyed fishing, drag car racing, and working on cars. He is survived by his mother, wife, son, granddaughter, and sister. A memorial service was held on January 28, 2023, at Bladen Gaskins Funeral Home in Elizabethtown.
