Suspect killed in narcotics search at Sanford house

Sanford, N.C. — Law enforcement officers shot and killed a man after being confronted by two armed men while searching a Sanford residence in western Harnett County as part of a narcotics probe early Thursday.

Harnett County sheriff's deputies and State Bureau of Investigation agents served a search warrant for a mobile home at 48 K Bar Lane, off N.C. Highway 87, around 2:15 a.m., Sheriff Larry Rollins said.

Two armed men confronted officers inside the residence, and Harnett County Detective Tommy Parker and SBI Special Agent Michael Hall discharged their weapons, SBI Director Robin Pendergraft said.

One of the armed men - Adrian Castaneda - was hiding in a closet. When deputies opened the closet door, a confrontation occurred and Castaneda was shot and killed at the scene, said Maj. Gary McNeill, a spokesman for the Harnett County Sheriff's Office.

McNeill said one round was fired from Castaneda's AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.

Authorities disarmed and arrested the second man, Orlando Mendez Castaneda, 26, who lives at the residence.

Pendergraft said that a large amount of cocaine was found in the house.

Orlando Castaneda was charged with trafficking in cocaine by possession, trafficking in cocaine by manufacturing, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting, obstructing and delaying arrest.

He was being held in the Harnett County Detention Center on a $3.5 million bond and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

The SBI is investigating the shooting, and Hall and Parker have been placed on administrative duty, following standard procedure for all officer-involved shootings. The results of the investigation will be turned over to Harnett County District Attorney Susan Doyle.

Hall has been with the SBI since January 2005 and was previously a police officer in Fayetteville, Pendergraft said. Parker has served with the Harnett County Sheriff's Officer for more than 14 years, Rollins said.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office gave Harnett County authorities information to support the search warrant, but did not participate in the search, Rollins said.