Man denied bond in Wendell double homicide

Investigators said Nathan Holden, 32, shot Latonya Holden, Angelia Smith Taylor and Sylvester Taylor on April 9, 2014, at their home in eastern Wake County. Three children in the home, a 15-year-old boy and two 8-year-old girls, were unharmed.

Angelia Smith Taylor, 57, was found dead inside the home, and Sylvester Taylor, 66, was found dead in the yard, investigators said.

"A single gunshot perforated her heart and went through several other important organs - and she was sitting in her bedroom," prosecutor Boz Zellinger said.  "The defendant then went outside and chased down Mr. Taylor and shot him outside."

Investigators say Holden went back into the house where his estranged wife and the couple's three children were hiding in a closet.

"(The children) were there and able to witness when their father came into the room and shot their mother twice," Zellinger said.

Latonya Holden was shot in the face and chest before the gun jammed, then Nathan Holden beat her with the butt of the pistol, investigators said.

"(Nathan) opened the closet door, brought the children outside, told them he loved them, dialed 911 and fled," Zellinger said.

Deputies later went to the suspect’s home, at 3535 Holden Acres Lane – about 10 miles away from the shooting scene – and used a K-9 unit to track Holden to a nearby field. According to investigators, Holden opened fire on the K-9 handler and other deputies before he was taken into custody.

No deputies were injured in the incident.

On Tuesday, Nathan's defense attorney, Jonathan Broun, argued that he was not a flight risk.

"This is someone who has strong family ties to the area. His father is in the courtroom today," Broun said.