ELIZABETHTOWN — All four suspects connected with a November murder of a Tar Heel man near Dublin have been arrested.
Bladen County sheriff’s deputies had been searching for three of the suspects since the Nov. 8 shooting at the intersection of Center and Twisted Hickory roads just outside Dublin. Darrell Dionte Council, who was driving an SUV, was shot when two men ran up to the vehicle and began shooting. Council managed to drive a short distance, but lost control of the vehicle and ran into a ditch. His brother, who was in the passenger seat, was able to get help — but Council was pronounced dead at Bladen County Hospital.
Sheriff Jim McVicker said one of the suspects — Christopher Joself Baldwin, 25, of Lumberton — was arrested on Wednesday, but the other man and two others remained on the loose.
On Thursday, deputies located and arrested those remaining suspects, including the man accused of shooting Council, Montise Arman Mitchell, 24, of Saint Pauls. Also arrested were D’Nazya Sadie Downing, 20, of Parkton and Shanika Nicole Mitchell, 17, of Lumberton.
Both Baldwin and Downing have been booked into the Bladen County Jail and charged with first-degree murder. They have not been given a bond.
McVicker is urging anyone who might have information about this case to contact the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office at 910-862-6960.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.
