Missing Halifax woman's grandson charged in her slaying

A U.S. Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune and considered AWOL may hold clues about the disappearance of his grandmother, the subject of a missing person search by the Halifax County Sheriff's Office, authorities and concerned family members said Friday.

Posted 3:10 p.m. Apr 27, 2018 — Updated 3:29 a.m. May 2, 2018

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — The 18-year-old grandson of a missing Roanoke Rapids woman has been charged in connection with her slaying after authorities recovered her body Friday night, officials said.

WRAL News crews at the scene witnessed law enforcement authorities as they pulled the body of Sallie Evans, 74, from Deep Creek near her Halifax County home.

Isaiah K. Evans Caesar, a Marine, has been charged with one count of murder and was also served with a fugitive warrant for desertion. He is being held with no bond before his May 16 court date, authorities said.

Caesar had been stationed at Camp Lejeune and classified as being on an unauthorized absence, base officials said.

On Friday afternoon, police placed crime scene tape around Evans’ home. A huge police presence, including the State Bureau of Investigation’s bomb squad, also descended on a Rocky Mount hotel parking lot, which is where the missing woman's car was found.

"It's so hard because she was like a mom to me," neighbor Willie Patterson said.

Her gold vehicle had been spray painted black, relatives said.

Deputies located Caesar at a local hotel in the Rocky Mount area after using Ms. Evans' credit card to purchase the room. He was immediately taken into custody, police said in a written statement.

According to police, investigators discovered explosive materials in his room when he was arrested. The hotel was evacuated, and the State Bureau of Investigation was called to assist with their bomb removal team, but no bomb was found.

Relatives of Evans told WRAL News Friday that Evans was supposed to escort her grandson back to Jacksonville on Tuesday. Her family members said he did not want to return to the military, and Tuesday was the last day anyone heard from her.

Evans was reported missing Wednesday.

A spokesman for Camp Lejeune confirmed that Evans Caesar has been declared a deserter but declined to comment further.

Her son, Mitchell Evans, has his own thoughts on what may have happened to his mother.

"She probably told Isaiah, 'OK, you are going back to Jacksonville. I am taking you there personally. I am going to drop you off, (and) you don't have a choice,'" Mitchell Evans said. "He said, 'No, I do not want to go back' . . . and that is when we think the switch was flipped."

The woman's family members said Caesar is infatuated with weapons and explosives. The relatives said they found grenade parts in Sallie Evans' home, including clips and pieces of fuses.

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