Durham man sought in death of man pulled from pond

Police were searching Thursday for a Durham man in connection with the death of a man whose body was found in a local pond Monday.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Andrew Koko Scheper, 30, on a charge of murder, police said.

Volunteers participating in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service project discovered the body of Trinity James Wilkins in the Beaver Marsh Nature Preserve, between East Club Boulevard and Interstate 85, after noticing something wrapped in a blanket in the water.

The cause of death hasn't been released.

Wilkins, 38, also known as Trinity Smith, has been missing since Nov. 24.

Police said Scheper and Wilkins knew each other and that the killing wasn't random.

Anyone with information on Scheper’s whereabouts is asked to call Durham police at 919-560-4440, extension 29325, or Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200.