A Rockingham man with a criminal record has been arrested for the murder of 18-year-old Alexander Jessup Davis of 217 C Robinson St., Rockingham, according to city police. Davis was stabbed in the chest early Friday morning.
The Rockingham Police Department arrested James Charles Lord, 54, of 302 Robinson St., Rockingham, and charged him with first degree murder after witnesses said Lord stabbed Davis with a knife in front of Lord’s residence, police reports show.
Police said they received a call on Friday in reference to a stabbing victim being transported to Richmond Memorial Hospital. When officers arrived at the hospital, reports said several people were attempting to move Davis from a black vehicle into a wheel chair. He was taken into the emergency room where doctors began to treat him for a stab wound to the chest.
One witness, Larry Wayne Snead, 22, of Rockingham, told officers that Lord and Davis had gotten into an argument in front of Lord’s residence, reports said. Snead said Davis was backing up from Lord, but Lord continued to yell that he was going to stab Davis. Snead told officers that Davis asked Lord “why?” and that Davis made it to the second step of the residence when Lord lunged forward with a knife and struck him. Reports said Davis stepped off the sidewalk, into the road, and told the other witnesses that Lord had stabbed him. According to the police department, Snead told officers that Lord took off running and Davis was taken to the hospital.
Reports said that officers went back into the emergency room to check on Davis after speaking to witnesses, and a third officer secured the area where the incident occurred. K-9 Breston was taken to the back yard of the residence on Robinson Street where he was scented on some clothes located inside a tent where witnesses told officers Lord had gone. Police said Breston tracked Lord to an oil tank where he was hiding.
Lord was placed in handcuffs and transported to the Rockingham Police Department, officers said. He was later placed in the Richmond County Jail under a $750,000 secure bond.
Davis was transferred to Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst where he died, police said.
According to the North Carolina Department of Correction, Lord has an extensive criminal history including convictions for possessing stolen goods, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, attempted malicious conduct, communicating threats, reckless driving and multiple charges of DWI, larceny and assault on a female.
The Rockingham Police Department said it is continuing to investigate potential motives behind the murder.
In his obituary, Davis was remembered as a talented musician, a skateboarder and a friend to many.
As to the article, thank you Ms. Brown for giving what is known so far, and presenting it in a professional manner.