Man found shot dead in his yard, North Carolina deputies say. Now his cousin is charged
A man was fatally shot in his yard, North Carolina officials say. Now, his cousin is charged.
Harnett County deputies said they responded to a report of trespassing that involved gunshots on Wednesday, Nov. 2. When they arrived, they found Christopher Joe Pearce, 42, lying in the yard with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Deputies and EMS responders began life-saving measures, but Pearce was pronounced dead on the scene that morning, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Investigators determined that Pearce had been shot multiple times with a pellet gun by his cousin, Rachel Ferguson, 21, deputies said. Pearce and Ferguson lived together with Ferguson’s husband and child.
After an autopsy revealed that one of the pellets caused Pearce’s death, deputies said they charged Ferguson with second-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
Ferguson is being held in the Harnett County Detention Center, deputies say.
This story was originally published November 4, 2022 at 10:31 AM with the headline "Man found shot dead in his yard, North Carolina deputies say. Now his cousin is charged."
