Charges Filed In Durham Double Homicide

Durham police have charged a man with two counts of murder in connection with a double homicide.

Several people were standing outside an abandoned house in the 100 block of South Maple Street around 10:45 p.m. on Aug. 2 when two males walked up, fired several shots at two victims. Tauarus Hamlett, 28, of East Main Street and James Webb, 24, of Taylor Street, were both shot multiple times. They were later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Both victims were transported to Duke University Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Authorities are looking for 27-year-old Jamal Manta Watson. He is currently on probation for a 2001 second-degree kidnapping conviction. He was also convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 1996. Watson is known to frequent the areas of Angier Avenue and Guthrie Street in Durham.

Investigators believe Hamlett and Webb were the intended victims and it appears that robbery was the motive for the shootings. Investigators also believe there were several witnesses to the shootings.

Investigators are also trying to identify a second suspect who is described as a black male in his mid-20s, 5 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall with a medium complexion. He was wearing a doo-rag.

Anyone with information on Watson's whereabouts or the identity of the second suspect is asked to call Durham police at

(919) 560-4440

or CrimeStoppers at

(919) 683-1200

.