Neighbor of Pender County double stabbing victim speaks

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — On Friday morning, a first appearance was made by the suspect in a stabbing incident that left two men dead Thursday night in the Hampstead/Surf City area.

30-year old Cody Coffield made his first appearance at the Pender County Courthouse before Judge Russell Davis. He’s facing two counts of first degree murder.

Thursday afternoon, 49-year-old Roy Batson II and 57-year-old Ricky Bullard were found with stab wounds in the 1700 block of Watts Landing Road. Both died from their injuries.

Coffield was arrested and is being held with no bond, and his next court appearance is scheduled for March 16.

Robbie Swinson neighbor and friend of Roy Batson says he has known Batson since childhood, and learning of his death left him deeply saddened.

“Roy was happy, he was just an excited person, he loved life. Just a beautiful individual,” said Robbie Swinson, neighbor.

Swinson says he was present when police arrived on the scene, describing moments before.

“The guy come out with the car, hit the ditch right here, and took off,” said Robbie Swinson.

He said he hopes there will be a thorough investigation, as he believes this incident is evident of a bigger problem in the community.

“I watched my young friend, –they tied a tag on his left big toe last night in a body bag, took his shoe off put it in the body bag and zipped him up,” said Robbie Swinson. “I grew up with this young man, and I’m sure that drugs, — I’m 99% sure that drugs were related, and I want the law to stop it.”

He says Batson shared information with him, that believes might be connected to this incident.

“I know he was on drugs, he told me he was on drugs, he was scheduled to go to a rehab center on Monday of next week,” said Swinson.

Swinson says he told law enforcement about possible drug activity impacting the neighborhood.

“I told them about some drug activity I thought was going on, some people coming through the woods, with drugs, asked them to stop it, I told them I didn’t want it around here,” said Swinson.

District Attorney Ben David says the Pender County Sheriff’s Office still needs help in piecing together what might have happened.

“If there’s anything surrounding an incident, –sometimes before, during, or after, it’s also important to have those details. So if there’s anyone that’s in the sound of our voices right now, who thinks that they might know anything about this case, even though we have somebody in custody, of course are encouraged to call,” said Ben David.

Pender County Sheriff’s Office says there have been no reports of drug activity in the Watt’s Landing area.