Harnett woman dead; 17-year-old charged with murder

Erwin, N.C. — Harnett County deputies charged a 17-year-old with first-degree murder on Friday, one day after a 63-year-old Erwin woman was found dead in her mobile home.

Deputies responded to 109 Buckskin Lane around 10 p.m. and found Judy Barefoot McLeod lying on the floor. Harnett County EMS declared her dead. Authorities did not release her cause of death.

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17-year-old charged in Harnett woman's slaying

On Friday, investigators arrested Larry Donnell McDougald, 17, and charged him with murder. They have not given a motive. He lived in the area, officials said.

Sheriff Larry Rollins said McLeod was killed Wednesday night, but she wasn't discovered until Thursday night when a neighbor came over to check on her.

Neighbor Patricia McNeill said she became concerned when she saw McLeod's lights on and her car gone. She then went to the front door to investigate.

"So I turned the knob ... and she was on the floor," she said.

McNeill said she's not sure how McLeod died.

Deputies later found McLeod's car in Faytetteville.

Neighbors said McLeod was divorced and had lived in the home for more than 20 years. In recent years, she had been battling breast cancer, they said. She lived alone.