Friends Say Shooting Suspect Was Defending Daughter

Friends of a Zebulon man accused of killing his daughter's boyfriend said he was defending his daughter, but a relative of the victim is calling it a "cold and calculated killing."

Posted 11:29 p.m. Nov 13, 2007 — Updated 1:59 a.m. Nov 14, 2007

Friends of a Zebulon man accused of killing his daughter's boyfriend said he was defending his daughter, but a relative of the victim is calling it a "cold and calculated killing."

Wake County authorities said Warren Clifford, 45, shot Antony Devon Judd, 19, of Wilson on his front lawn in Zebulon Saturday evening as family members watched.

Those who know him describe Clifford as a kind man who is not prone to violence. They said he was upset that Judd got his teenage daughter, Camille, pregnant. The two have a 2-month-old son.

"There wasn't a fight, nothing going on," said Adrian Champion, Judd's aunt. "It was just so quick."

Champion said she drove Judd to Clifford's home Saturday evening to get his house keys and that Clifford came out of the house with a gun.

"He just turned and shot my nephew. No words was said – just turned and shot him," Champion said. "I just started running, because I thought, maybe, he was going to go on a rampage."

Champion gave investigators the same account of the shooting. She said she had no idea there were any problems between the two men.

Clifford's family would not comment on the charges. When WRAL went to his home seeking comment, someone on the property chased reporter Amanda Lamb and photographer Chad Flowers with a broom handle and attacked their car.

Meanwhile, Clifford made his first appearance in court Tuesday, where he was denied bond and said he will try to hire his own attorney. His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 3.

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