2nd man charged in death of North Carolina mayor, his wife

LEGGETT, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a second suspect has been charged in the shooting deaths of the mayor of a small North Carolina town and his wife.

The Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office said Friday night that 18-year-old Mitchell Brinson of Tarboro is charged with first-degree murder in the killings.

The sheriff’s office initially withheld the identities of the victims found Thursday, but a town commissioner identified them as Mayor Gary Skelton and Jackie Dawn Skelton. Gary Skelton was in his second term as mayor of the eastern North Carolina town with a population of around five dozen.

Also charged is 25-year-old Keith Earl Williams of Tarboro. TV station WRAL reports both men were being held without bond. It wasn’t immediately clear if either had an attorney, and working phone listings for them could not be found.

Authorities haven’t discussed a motive.