Fifth person arrested in Marshall murder, all teenagers

WILMINGTON — There’s been a fifth arrest in the murder of Robert Marshall Jr. All five suspects are teenagers.

Police say all are from the same Wilmington neighborhood. One suspect was also a former Hoggard High School football player. That makes three Hoggard student athletes in trouble with the law in six months.

Two Hoggard High football players face felony drug charges: one arrested in October, the other in January. Now a former football player faces conspiracy charges in connection with a March 5 murder.

The most recent arrest of Tevin Demetrious McIntyre makes five suspects now charged with the murder of Marshall in the 1300 block of Marstellar Street. Police say robbery was the motive.

Former Hoggard High School football player Atoine Alston is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.

New Hanover County Athletic Director Joe Miller said, “Yeah, it’s a concern. It’s a concern in our society. It’s a concern in our educational system and some of the things we’re trying to help these kids do to be good citizens.”

It was October when Hoggard football star Rashad Williams was arrested on drug charges. Then in January his replacement, 16-year-old Shawn Sidbury got in trouble with the law on similar charges.

These cases prompted New Hanover County schools to re-evaluate its student-athlete code of conduct.

Miller said, “Why it happens I don’t know. Why does a lot of things happen, but it’s something that you have to work and strive to make kids better, do better and do the right thing.”

It’s still under review but the code of conduct will include a higher standard, including signing an agreement to stay out of trouble and maintain a certain grade point average parents will also have to sign.

Both Miller and the Wilmington detective handling the case say that’s where the biggest difference can be made, especially when all five suspects in the murder of Marshall were teens.

WPD Det. D.T. Moore said, “I think that would cut down on our murders too, if parents would get involved in their kids’ lives.”

Det. Moore says the murder may have been gang related, and all five suspects live within four blocks of each other in downtown Wilmington.

Moore said, “We’re fairly certain that we have everybody involved in jail and there’s not likely another arrest.”

In terms of New Hanover County schools requirements for student athletes, they are required to maintain a C average, which is higher than the state requirement for student athletes.

And as for the suspects in custody connected to the murder of Marshall, police say a major break in the case led them to the five teens. Although they would not confirm what that break was Moore says physical evidence and talk on the street were crucial.