Two women linked to missing Durham woman's death

Antoinetta Yvonne McKoy, 28, has been missing since December, and Durham police have searched a house at 2109 Pear Tree Lane repeatedly for two months for evidence in her disappearance and that of 5-year-old Jadon Higganbothan, who hasn't been seen since October.

"Just to know that I won't see her, that's painful," said McKoy's mother, Yvonne McKoy. "I have questions. I just want to know why."

Yvonne McKoy said police have not shared much information with her about the investigation, but in a previous search warrant investigators stated that Jadon's mother, Vania Rae Sisk, and her boyfriend, Peter Lucas Moses, were "directly involved" in the deaths of the missing woman and boy.

The latest search warrants, which seek DNA samples from Lavada Harris, 40, and LaRhonda Smith, 27, also tie them to McKoy's disappearance.

Both women lived with Moses, Sisk and McKoy in the Pear Tree Lane home, according to the warrant. Investigators have alleged that the group were members of the Black Hebrews, a religious sect that believes it descends directly from the ancient tribes of Israel.

"I don't think my daughter was aware of what was transacting down there and when she did become aware, she wanted to come home and they prevented it," Yvonne McKoy said.

Sisk, 25, and Moses, 27, were arrested two weeks ago during a raid at 121-B Dunstan Ave. in Durham. They haven't been charged in the case but are being held in the Durham County jail on unrelated charges.

Harris and Smith haven't been charged in the case either and weren't in custody Tuesday.

A witness told police that two women and Moses forced McKoy back into the house, where she was shot and killed in the second-floor master bathroom, the warrants state.

Investigators have found a bullet, shell casing and evidence of human blood and "overt cleaning" inside the house, according to warrants.

A confidential informant told Durham police in February that both Jadon and McKoy were killed in the Pear Tree Lane house and that their bodies were disposed of.

Sisk, Moses and others moved to Colorado Springs early this year, and Durham police asked Colorado authorities to check on Jadon's whereabouts. Authorities put several other children found in the Colorado Springs home into protective custody but couldn't find Jadon.

Sisk later returned to Durham and met with investigators in early March. She told them she left Jadon with an acquaintance on Feb. 20, but police said her statements were inconsistent.

Police also have obtained DNA from Sisk and Moses and seized laptop computers and cellphones for evidence in the case.