Investigators continue search for suspects in Lake Gaston murder, arson

The couple's son and nephew walked the rubble Saturday to see if they could salvage anything.

Their nephew said "Uncle John" and "Aunt Nancy" had lived on the Lake Gaston lot for nearly 40 years. He said he spent his childhood summers at the house, which was on the line between Littleton in North Carolina and Henrico in Virginia.

The community remained in shock Saturday.

"We're a small community, and for this to happen in this kind of town is unheard of," business owner Pete Richardson said.

Sheriff Johnny Williams said two masked intruders burst into a home on Mulberry Court in Littleton Friday morning and kidnapped Nancy Alford.

One of the intruders drove her to a State Employees' Credit Union branch in Roanoke Rapids and forced her to withdraw money from an ATM, while the second intruder stayed in the home with her husband, John Alford, Williams said.

John Alford is a minister at Sanford Memorial Baptist Church in Brodnax, Va.

The church will have a special song and prayer service Sunday dedicated to him.

Nancy Alford was driven back to the house on Lake Gaston, where the intruders beat up her husband before setting the home ablaze with the couple tied up inside, Williams said.

John Alford was able to escape and was airlifted to Duke for treatment.

Williams and other officials stopped and questioned drivers in the area Saturday in attempt to gain any clues about the suspects.

Richardson said the couple were upstanding members of the tight community.

"They were always willing to help somebody else out versus trying to take care of themselves," he said. "So, it's a very, very deep loss for this community and somebody that we will so miss."

There's a mix of sadness and concern with little information on the men who did this.

"You can't even have a home or property without someone coming in and destroying it or setting it on fire or killing you," neighbor Joyce Humphreys said.

Police said the intruders also stole the family's car, a gray Mercedes, which has not been found.

Police have not yet released suspect descriptions.

Investigators spent much of the afternoon combing through the charred rubble where the house once stood for evidence in the case.

The State Bureau of Investigation and the State Highway Patrol are assisting in the investigation.