Homicide investigation underway in Newton Grove; man killed in house fire, woman assaulted

A man was found dead in a Sampson County home that went up in flames Sunday morning.
Posted 2/18/2024, 12:18:00 PM Updated 2/18/2024, 11:20:56 PM

DOMINION ENERGY ARE

INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE

FIRE NEW THIS EVENING, THE

SAMPSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

SAYS AN ARREST HAS BEEN MADE IN

AN ASSAULT ARSON AND HOMICIDE

INVESTIGATION ALL TIED TO A

BURNING TRAILER WHERE A MAN

DIED EARLY. THIS MORNING.

46 YEAR-OLD PERRY FOLDER WAS

TAKEN INTO CUSTODY THIS

AFTERNOON AND FACES ASSAULT

AND BURGLARY CHARGES.

ADDITIONAL CHARGES ARE

EXPECTED. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE

ALSO SAYS THE 2 VICTIMS IN THIS

CASE, WE'RE 64 YEAR-OLD HARRY

TAYLOR AND 69 YEAR-OLD EVELYN

FRANKLIN.

>> WRAL'S ERIC MILLER HAS MORE

ON THE INVESTIGATION.

>> THE 9-1-1 CALL CAME IN

AROUND. 01:00AM A WOMAN FIRST

REPORTING, A HOME INVASION IN A

HOUSE FIRE CALLER DID OCCUR.

>> IT WAS PROBABLY SET BY THE

>> INTRUDERS. RADIO TRAFFIC

REVEALING THE MOMENTS AFTER

FIRST RESPONDERS REALIZE JUST

HOW BAD THAT FIRE WAS.

REGULATORY MOBILE HOME FULLY

INVOLVED SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

ALL THAT'S LEFT BEHIND OR

MILTON WALLS CHARGE PILLOWS

AND THE SINGED WHEELCHAIR.

HUGHES, A

>> HE WAS A CHARACTER. I USED

TO GET RIDES AROUND. NEIGHBOR

JOE CHANTED SAYS THE MAN WHO

DIED IN THIS MOBILE HOME, HARRY

TAYLOR HAD LOST A LEG TO CANCER

AS.

>> JUST SAD TO SEE YOU HE'S NOT

WANTING TO GO.

AFTER. SIMPSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S

OFFICE SAYS DEPUTIES TRIED TO

REACH TAYLOR WHEN THEY GOT TO

THE SCENE BUT COULDN'T GET TO

HIM BECAUSE THE FLAMES, THE

OFFICE ADDING IN A STATEMENT

THAT THE OTHER VICTIM IN THIS

CASE, ELVIN FRANKLIN, WAS

INJURED WHILE TRYING TO DEFEND

TAYLOR. WELL, WE WERE ON THE

SCENE PAGES OF A SEARCH WARRANT

LEFT BEHIND, BLEW OVER TO OUR

CREW. THOSE WARDS PROVIDE MORE

DETAILS ON WHAT HAPPENED,

INCLUDING THAT FRANKLIN AND

TAYLOR WERE ASSAULTED WITH A

BAT.

>> FRANKLIN WAS LEFT WITH A

CUT ON HER HEAD AND THAT TAYLOR

MIGHT HAVE BEEN UNCONSCIOUS IN

FRANKLIN WAS UNABLE TO GET HER

HUSBAND OUT OF THE RESIDENTS.

IT ALSO DETAILS ITEMS SEIZED

FROM THE SCENE, INCLUDING A

RANGE MULTIPLE JUGS OF FUEL AND

A LIGHTER IN NEWTON GROVE, ERIC

MILLER, WRAL NEWS NOW, THE

SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS THE

INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGOING