One man has been arrested and two are being sought in connection with a home invasion in which the intruders allegedly threatened to kill a woman and a baby.
Union County Sheriff David Taylor announced Tuesday that Nicholas Montrae Jeter, 29, 4937 English Avenue, Carlisle, has been charged with home invasion. Taylor said Jeter is charged with being one of three men who forced their way into a residence at 115 Sartor Road, Whitmire, Monday night and held a family, including small children, at gunpoint while they robbed the house. He said investigators are still searching for the two other men.
The incident began shortly before 11 p.m. when one of the victims received a phone call from a man asking for her boyfriend. The woman told him he was not there, but a short time later got a second phone call from the same man telling her he was outside the house. The victim told deputies she opened the door to tell him the boyfriend was not there and it was then that three black males armed with a shotgun forced their way into the house.
The incident report states one of the men demanded money and drugs, but was told by the victim that all she had was $20 on the dresser in her bedroom. One of three then went with the victim into the bedroom while the other two remained in the front room with another member of the victim’s family. The family member said the two men threatened to kill her and the baby if she didn’t give them what they wanted. She said they also held a pillow over her face.
The second victim was later able to grab two of the children in the house and run out the back door to a neighbor’s to call for help.
The incident report states a witness pulling up into the driveway saw the three men run out the front door and get in a blue car, possibly a Buick, parked on Goldville Road.
The three men were described as wearing blue jeans, darks shirts and hats, with one of them also wearing a hoodie. The report states they were using their shirts to cover their faces.
The makeshift mask, however, did not prevent the first victim from identifying one of the men as an acquaintance name “Mook” who she later identified as Jeter.
Deputies located Jeter at his home and transported him to the sheriff’s office where he was offered a polygraph test. As a result of the investigation, Jeter was placed under arrest and charged with home invasion.
The incident report states a total of $101 worth of cash and property was stolen from the residence.
Taylor said a home invasion is a particularly serious crime, both in terms of the potential for violence and in the profound psychological impact it can have on the victims, especially children.
“There is so much potential for that to have escalated into something else,” Taylor said. “It could have escalated into a shooting spree. Anytime there is a home invasion that’s serious business.
“A person should be able to feel safe in their home,” he said. “It’s not only bad for adults, but there were three small children in that house who will probably have to live with that fear the rest of their lives.”
Taylor said the shotgun used has not been recovered nor have have any of the items stolen. He said the investigation is continuing.
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