Judge sets $1 million bond in Monkey Junction murder case

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The man charged in connection to the murder on Julia Drive in the Sycamore Grove neighborhood Wednesday morning made his first court appearance via video Friday afternoon.

The judge set Aaron Stephens bond at $1 million. Stephens is charged with second degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury with intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a felon in the death of Terry Greenwood.

In court Assistant District Attorney Dru Lewis gave more details about what led to the shooting and verified that Stephens is a validated Hells Angels Motorcycle Club member.

Lewis stated Stephens and Greenwood had prior altercations about Stephens’ wife. Investigators say on the night of the murder the two argued elsewhere it then led back to Stephens’ home on Julia Drive.

An autopsy shows Greenwood was stabbed eight times and shot in the face. The second victim Anthony Lanza was also stabbed several times in the chest and remains in the hospital.

Lewis says most of the altercation was all caught on a neighbor’s security camera.

“In that video you can the victim’s truck driving down to the culdesac. Followed shortly by this defendant’s white Mercedes Benz. You can also hear a gunshot early. You can not see what happened,” Lewis said. “But you can hear a gunshot early in the altercation. The altercation goes on for at least two more minutes. You can hear some screams and grunts during the course of that altercation. And then you see the white Mercedes turn around and drive back in the opposite direction that happens to be back towards his house with his lights off.”

The judge gave Stephens a $1 million bond and ordered him not to contact Greenwood’s family, Lanza or known gang members.

Lewis says the investigation is ongoing and adds he is convinced these will not be the last charges against Stephens.