Two charged with murder; a third suspect accused of being an accessory

Two local men, both of whom have prior records, were arrested on first-degree murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in Rocky Mount last month, authorities said.

Jessie Johnson Jr., 46, and Harold Phillips, 45, are accused of killing Mack Jenkins, according to N.C. District Court records. A third suspect in the case, Alicia Petaway, 35, is charged with felony accessory after the fact.

Authorities allege that Petaway helped Johnson escape arrest.

Just after 1 a.m. Sept. 15, officers responded to Hal Orr’s Inn in the 2400 block of North Wesleyan Boulevard in the northern part of the city in response to reports of gunfire, police have said.

In a preliminary investigation, officers said they learned that Jenkins, 39, was wounded after a confrontation at the roadside motel. After the shooting, Jenkins was taken to the 400 block of St. Paul Street in the South Rocky Mount area, police have said. Emergency medical services personnel went there but Jenkins was pronounced dead, police have said.

Phillips and Petaway were arrested, and Johnson turned himself in, police have said.

At first, Phillips was charged with felony accessory after the fact in allegedly helping Johnson escape arrest, but Phillips was subsequently also charged with first-degree murder, according to District Court records.

Police, in email correspondence, said that after a review of the case with the District Attorney’s Office, the murder charge against Phillips was filed.

Secured bonds were set at $3 million for Johnson and at $2,025,000 for Phillips, Sgt. Macie Hasty of the Nash County Sheriff’s Office said in email correspondence.

Petaway, whose secured bond was set at $10,000, posted bond and was released, according to court records.

Johnson had listed an address in the 200 block of Arlington Circle, Phillips had listed an address in the 2400 block of North Wesleyan Boulevard; and Petaway had listed an address in the 1400 block of Beal Street, N.C. District Court records stated.