Man charged with murder after man, child found dead in Robeson County

Walter Woodrow Locklear, 27, is charged with two counts of 1st degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and burning of personal property, according to Robeson County Sheriff, Ken Sealey.

Locklear is charged with the murder of 22-year-old Ardell Bullard and a 9-year-old child who has not yet been identified, Sealey said in a news release.

Bullard’s body was found near a pond off of McGirt Gin Road and the child’s body was found several hours later inside a burned pickup off of Modest Road, according to Sealey.

The man and his nine-year-old relative left their home to go hunting just after 12:30 a.m. Monday morning, according to deputies.

At around 12:30 p.m. police were called about a body that was found near a pond on Kalyn Drive, off of McGirt Gin Road, the release stated.

At around 5 p.m. officers found a black Ford Ranger and the deceased 9-year-old child in a wooded area behind Lakewood Drive off Modest Road. The truck had been burned, Sealey said.

Sealey said earlier that they’re pretty sure the child found dead in the pickup is the man’s 9-year-old relative, but they are waiting for autopsy results to confirm.

He said it appears that Bullard was shot to death.

Locklear had a 1st appearance in District Court on Tuesday, according to Sealey.

He said no further information will be released until the autopsy results from the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office are in.

Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-671-3100.