by Amy Banton, Staff Writer
10 months ago | 3210 views | 16

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LUMBERTON — A Pembroke man who was already in jail in Cumberland County was charged Tuesday with the murders of a woman and her teenage daughter in July. The victims were relatives of the accused, according a sheriff’s detective.
Luther Wilton Locklear, 31, of 318 Blossom Drive, Pembroke, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Delilah Locklear, 51, and Erica Locklear, 13, on July 12. Their bodies were discovered in the bedroom of their mobile home after a fire was reported there. Autopsies showed that they died of stab wounds, and not the fire.
Locklear was a distant cousin of Delilah, according to sheriff’s Lt. Tom Espey,
According to Espey, Locklear has not been charged with arson because investigators “are not sure of the origin of the fire.”
A fire and death investigation conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation and the Sheriff’s Office led to the charges against Locklear. Sheriff Kenneth Sealey said interviews and evidence collected led to Locklear’s arrest.
Locklear was in jail in Cumberland County awaiting trial on charges of second-degree kidnapping, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and larceny after breaking and entering. Sealey said that he and his cousin, Otoma Locklear, 33, stole crack cocaine from James Taylor of Lumberton during an illegal drug transaction on Aug. 15.
Locklear was being held in the Cumberland County jail rather than Robeson County because he is relatd to Otoma Locklear, according to Sealey. He said relatives are usually kept in separate facilities.
Locklear on Tuesday was returned to Robeson County, where he was arrested and charged with the murders. He is being held under no bond. His first court appearance was on Wednesday.
On July 12, a fire was reported at Delilah Locklear’s mobile home at 171 Lonnie Farm Road in Pembroke. When lawmen arrived at about 10:25 p.m., they found two bodies in a bedroom. Sealey said that both were dead before the fire was started. The fire only destroyed the bedroom of the mobile home.
Erica was a student at Pembroke Middle School and Delilah, who was disabled, was a former teacher’s assistant. Nobody else lived in the home.
Delilah was the sister of sheriff’s Detective Lt. Reggle Strickland. He did not want to comment on the arrest.
Locklear was placed on probation in 2001 for a year and six months for three counts of larceny, according to the North Carolina Department of Correction.
Faithful09: I have lived in Robeson County all of my life, but I do not remember the case you are talking about. I would assume that most people who do post on here are from Robeson County. Also, just because we are humans and we sin does NOT excuse a person from stabbing and burning two people! Get over yourself and stop throwing around religion as an excuse for a disgusting act of a "human." I am assuming from the tone of your comment that you know this person. Of course his family is going to think he is innocent. What mother does not think her children are perfect and would not harm anyone or anything? I can hardly recall one that I personally know.
BeCarefulWhatYouSay: Sounds like you also know the accused. I don't think the Sheriff's department would go around arresting people for fun, or because they need someone to take the blame for a case. For a man that was in the Robesonian a few months ago before for stealing crack cocaine, kidnapping, larceny, and assault with a deadly weapon is hardly a good person in my eyes. I don't care where he's from, who is family is, or what he's got. If he can do all those things with no conscience, then I'm sure he would set fire to two people with no problem.
Anonymous,
You can always call me and ask why comments are not posted or are edited. I don't have the power to censor, only the government does, but no one has a right to post on this site. We try to be liberal in what we allow.
My number it (910) 272-6104. The invitation is for anyone with questions.
Donnie Douglas
Editor
The Robesonian
B4real: Read the article. Again. Delilah is the sister of Reggie Strickland, a detective with the sheriff’s department. That is a huge motivating factor to solve a crime. For the most part, we all like to help co-workers and friends any way we can and make sure something is done correctly.
Cumberland County didn’t catch Luther. Robeson County did. He’s ONLY being held there because his COUSIN is in the Robeson County jail. Again, re-read the article. He is in there for allegedly stealing CRACK COCAINE. Do yourself a favor and search the cousins name in the search feature for the Robesonian. You will find an article that shows the two of them were arrested for armed robbery.
Faithful09: I don’t think they would issue an arrest warrant without proof of some type of connection to the crime. I don’t know about the Mr. Noody Locklear murder, but if the guy walked away due to a technicality error due to the department, that’s not to be excused. Let’s look at the flip side, you are inferring that the community thought the accused person did it and the sheriff’s office apparently had evidence that he committed the crime, thus an arrest warrant. He did walk due to their negligence. However, an arrest warrant would indicate that there is enough PROOF to charge someone with a crime. He might have walked (which is horrible), but they did have proof which in essence validates the suspicions of the community. I would think the same concept applies to this case also.
belleinrobco
Obviously, none of you are from this county or even that community or you would remember a Mr. “Noody” Locklear’s murder a few years back. His wives grandson committed that murder and EVERYONE in the community was knowledgeable of that fact. But due to this great, commendable Sheriff’s Department we have, that MURDERER walked, due to a technicality on the Sheriff Departments behalf!!! So, I wouldn’t be counting my chicks before the hatched, assuming that he will be found guilty and sentenced.
belleinrobco
I really want to know why he or anyone would do something like this.
belleinrobco