Sheriff James A. McVicker announced the overnight arrest of two individuals involved in
a home invasion robbery that happened on Saturday night in the Buckhead community of
Bladen County.
“We have arrested two individuals in this case and have active warrants on two others,”
McVicker said. “We are actively searching for the two still at large.”
The case began Saturday night, October 15, when Gregory Skinner, 38, of 1823 Martin
Luther King Drive, Elizabethtown, was dropped off outside the emergency entrance of
Columbus County Hospital in Whiteville by a private vehicle. Skinner was pronounced
dead at the hospital.
At approximately the same time, Bladen County Communications center received a call
of shots fired and a home being struck by stray bullets near 735 Jacobs Loop Road in the
Buckhead community.
Responding deputies went to the Jacobs Loop address and found Donwia Wayne Griffith,
38, of that address dead in the home. They also found two adult females and three minor
children hiding in the home. The other victims were not injured.
During the course of the investigation, it was learned that several individuals conspired
with Skinner to go to the Griffith residence and rob him. During the course of the robbery
several shots were fired and both Griffith and Skinner were struck with rounds. Griffith
died at the scene and Skinner died at Columbus County Hospital.
Arrested are Tamara Rashonia McKoy, 30, of 11676 Rosindale Road, Council and Erin
Victoria Pridgen, 29, of 164 North Singletary Road, Elizabethtown. Both of these
individuals are currently in Bladen County Jail charged with First Degree Murder and are
under no bond. They will have a first appearance in District Court in Elizabethtown
sometime Thursday.
Still at large and being sought for murder are Africa Zachariah Shipman, 35, of 1482
Jenkins Road, Clarkton and Elijah Bruce Brown III, 37, of 4653 Mercer Mill Brown
Marsh Road, Clarkton.
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