Macon, who spoke at a press conference, would not elaborate on the beef that sparked the August 4 murder of Garner and the August 5 murder of Anderson.

Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp said this afternoon an early indication of motive includes a dispute August 2 at a local entertainment venue as well as an August 4 dispute at a retail store in Roanoke Rapids that involved Semaj Clanton, who was arrested in Garner's murder, and the two people who were treated and released following the 15-year-old's murder.

One of the people being sought in Garner's murder is Teddy Keith Anderson Jr., who is Dy'Uanna's uncle.

Those arrested Thursday are, top row, from left Cook and Moody and bottom row, from left, Short and Mallory.

Macon declined to elaborate on whether the four charged in the Dy'Uanna's murder were trying to kill the 2-year-old's mother. He also declined to say whether the child's mother shared a room with her daughter, who was asleep when she was killed.

The police chief said the child's grandmother, Catherine Price, is now listed in good condition.

Macon credited a number of agencies for their help in investigating the case, including the sheriff's office and State Bureau of Investigation. Help also came from Roanoke Rapids, Elizabeth City, Northampton, Rich Square, Garysburg and Seaboard as well as the state Department of Corrections.

“The SBI team showed tenacity and perseverance,” Macon said. “Their help was huge and they worked tirelessly with witness interviews, processing the crime scene and collecting evidence.”

The four arrested Thursday, Macon said, were all acquainted although he would not elaborate on their ties further. The arrests of Jamonte Moody, Semaj Short, William David Cook and Victor Mallory were the result of “good, hard police work,” he said.

As far as Dy'Uanna's family, Macon said, “The family member I talked to was very pleased with the effort of law enforcement.”

Macon said in response to the murders, he is looking into establishing a violent crime task force and street engagement team to battle a combination of drugs, gangs and violence on the streets.