Fayetteville pawn shop shooting was random, police say

Cedric Theodis Hobbs Jr., 29, and Alexis Mattocks, 20, were each charged early Sunday with first-degree murder and other charges in the death of Kyle Harris, 19.

The pair allegedly shot Harris at the Cumberland Pawn Shop around 5:15 p.m. Saturday and fled in his Saturn Ion, likely because their car broke down near the store, Lt. Christopher Davis, with the Fayetteville Police Department, said.

Hobbs and Mattocks were wanted for questioning in a suspicious death earlier Saturday in McDuffie County, Ga., in which someone dumped the body of a 22-year-old man, authorities said.

“The vehicle they were driving was the Georgia victim’s vehicle,” Davis said. “It apparently broke down near Cumberland Pawn.”

Surveillance video showed Hobbs and Mattocks walk in and out of the store several times before the crime, Davis said.

Police have said Mattock’s 9-month-old baby was with them at the time.

Two other employees were inside the store at the time, Davis said. They were not hurt.

“I don't know if they were thinking about robbing the place or what the deal was there, but at one point they went in, shot the clerk and left in the clerk's vehicle,” he said.

Washington, D.C., police arrested the pair about six hours later on charges of auto theft. Mattocks' baby, who was still with them, was taken into custody, police said.

They were later charged with murder in Harris’ death, as well as armed robbery, second-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Extradition proceedings for the two were expected to begin Monday.

Friends said Harris worked at Cumberland Pawn Shop for more than a year to save money for college. He graduated from Cape Fear High School in 2009, and he had recently enrolled in some college courses.

“He had his whole future ahead of him,” friend Brent Shannon said. “That’s the worst part about this.”