Pender County man gets life sentence

PENDER COUNTY — A Pender County man will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Tuesday morning Lakane Murphy pleaded guilty to several charges, including first-degree murder and burglary.

In January of 2006 Murphy broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home near Atkinson, beat her unconscious then shot and killed her friend 52-year-old Malachaui Loftin.

Murphy will serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole.