A woman was charged with murder in connection to her stepdaughter's 2015 disappearance from Robeson County, according to court documents.
Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins announced the arrest Thursday.
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"While some may have believed this case had gone cold, the reality is a case like this never leaves the minds of the investigators assigned to it. From the moment she disappeared in 2015, our Homicide Division and the FBI work diligently behind the scenes to get to where we are today with these charges," Wilkins said Thursday.
Sara Graham, who went missing in Robeson County when she was 18 years old, was legally declared dead on June 1, according to Wilkins.
Graham was last seen around 6:30 a.m. at her home on Centerville Church Road in Fairmont on Feb. 4, 2015. She never arrived at her job at Walmart in Pembroke. Authorities found Graham’s white van on McDonald Road in Fairmont, but she was nowhere to be found.
Connie Graham, 65, was charged with felony conspiracy, first-degree murder and alter/steal/destroy criminal evidence, according to an arrest warrant.
The warrant said Graham conspired to destroy evidence connected to the murder, including a bed, clothing, and flooring. She is being held in the Robeson County Detention Center on no bond.
Investigators have targeted Connie Graham's house previously as part of the investigation into Sara's disappearance.
In 2023, RCSO and the FBI again searched the Fairmont area home, looking for evidence based on recent leads at the time.
"While most of the people we have interviewed have been cooperative, we believe someone very close to her isn’t telling us everything they know," Sheriff Wilkins said then.
WRAL spoke to Hubert Graham, Sara's father and Connie's husband. He declined to comment on the case and the investigation.
“Sara was beautiful, inside and out. She had the sweetest personality, loved life, and making people smile. She was an artist, and would make her friends handmade gifts. She was passionate about animals. Sara did not have a malicious bone in her body and always wore a smile," her friend, Beck Ryan told WRAL.
Court documents also show 42-year-old Bobby Matthew McLellan was arrested in connection with the case. He is charged with felony conspiracy, alter/steal/destroy criminal evidence and accessory after the fact. An arrest warrant said McLellan helped dispose of human remains. His bond was set at $1 million.
In 2015, WRAL reported that Connie Graham was fired from her role as a Robeson County deputy. The sheriff at the time said it was unrelated to Sara Graham's disappearance.
Luke Locklear is charged with felony conspiracy and alter/steal/destroy criminal evidence. His arrest warrant said he assisted in burning evidence related to the case. He is being held on a $1 million bond.
After Sara Graham was declared dead, Wilkins said in a statement that the announcement did not alter the sheriff’s department's search for her, but it expanded the search from a missing person to a homicide investigation.
"Sara did not deserve to have her life taken. While nothing can undo the loss felt by so many, we hope these arrests provide some measure of comfort," Wilkins’ statement read in part.
Connie Graham's next court appearance is scheduled for July 2.
The FBI continues to offer a $5,000 reward for information leading to the location of Sara Graham's body.
If you have any information concerning this investigation, please contact the Robeson County Sheriff's Office at (910) 671-3100 or the FBI's Charlotte Field Office at (704) 672-6100. You may also contact your local FBI office or submit tips to tips@robesoncounty.gov.