Woman charged with killing man last week

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Columbus County Sheriff’s detectives have arrested a woman and charged her with a murder that happened last week.

Debra Soles Strickland, 58, is charged with the murder of Victor Ray Mitchell.

Investigators say they took Strickland into custody without incident yesterday afternoon at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton. She was scheduled to make her first court appearance in Columbus County this morning.

They say Strickland lived with Mitchell at a home on Haynes Lennon Hwy. near Cerro Gordo. Detectives say they found the 70-year-old man’s body Jan. 6 when they searched the home after a missing persons report was filed by someone who lived in the home the night before.

Investigators have said Mitchell died of a gunshot wound.