Sampson County resident pleads guilty to second-degree murder of Greenville man

BEULAVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — A Sampson County resident pled guilty to second-degree murder in Duplin County Superior Court on Thursday in the death of a Greenville man.

Antonio Murphy, 29, pled guilty to multiple charges in court on Thursday, including Second-Degree Murder, Attempted Armed Robbery, Possession of Firearm by Felon, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury. Duplin County Judge Henry L. Stevens sentenced Murphy to a minimum of 25 years to the max of 31 years for second-degree murder. The remaining sentences will be served at the same time as the homicide sentence.

Murphy will serve his time in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.

On February 6, 2020, the Beulaville Police Department responded to reports about a shooting that occured in a McDonald’s parking lot. Maysville resident Michael Deangelo Bryant Jr. and Greenville resident Randy Anthony Rolla were shot by Murphy while in the parking lot.

Rolla suffered from two gunshot wounds, one to the head and the other to the torso. Rolla was transported from ECU Health Hospital in Kenansville to ECU Health in Greenville due to the severity of his injuries. He was pronounced dead shortly after. Bryant suffered from a gunshot wound to his back, which fractured his shoulder blade.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation assisted the Beulaville Police Department in the investigation. The investigation revealed that the two victims and Murphy did not know each other, but rather agreed to meet in the McDonald’s parking lot to complete a transaction. Murphy and another assailant attempted to rob Bryant and Rolla at gunpoint. Bryant pulled out his own firearm and discharged at the assailants. The two assailants, including Murphy, got away from the scene.

Forensic evidence, video surveillance footage, phone records, social media records, and more was included to determine the identity of the suspects during the investigation. The FBI Cellular Analysis Survey Team assisted in the investigation.

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