A nearly four-year-old murder mystery has been solved and a Roanoke Rapids man is in custody under no bond for the Feb. 2, 2006, shooting of Roanoke Avenue businessman Shelby Salmon.
Gene Arnold “Root Root” Hawkins Jr. was arrested today, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department and Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, along with the District Attorney’s office announced at a joint press conference.
Investigators and DA Melissa Pelfrey declined to comment on Hawkins’ past relationship with Salmon, who ran an investment company giving loans to people. Pelfrey said there was evidence of a robbery the day Salmon was murdered at his business but declined to comment beyond that.
Hawkins has a previous criminal record and was recently serving a 32-month prison stretch for an assault occurring in Warren County, Capt. Andy Jackson of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department said. He was supposed to be released from prison Wednesday, Jackson said, but was instead served a warrant while in prison for the Salmon murder.
His record also includes counts of larceny but nothing on the magnitude of murder, officials said. Most of his crimes were committed in Roanoke Rapids, Jackson said.
Hawkins will most likely have his first court appearance Wednesday around 11 a.m., Sheriff Jeff Frazier said.
Jackson said investigators began to target Hawkins in May but declined to elaborate on what evidence allegedly linked the man to the crime.
“The investigation was boosted by information received by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office this year,” a joint press release said. “Investigators with the sheriff’s office and police department followed up on this information to bring closure to the Salmon family.”
Pelfrey said the family was notified and mixed emotions about the arrest were expressed.
“It’s all been unreal,” Frazier, a friend of Salmon, said, and there was anxiousness in the long wait for an arrest to be made.
Roanoke Rapids Deputy Chief Adam Bondarek, speaking for Chief Jeff Hinton, praised the joint effort leading to today’s arrest. “Everyone worked together, our officers, the SBI, the county and the district attorney,” he said. “It’s a step to closure for the family. It was nice to see that effort. There’s been a lot of man hours and a lot of people investigating this have moved on but you know it was placed in the back of their minds somewhere.”
Salmon’s last day began when he left home around 7 a.m. and stopped at what was the Trade Mart where he drank coffee and greeted customers.
Around 10 a.m. he arrived at his business at 1135 Roanoke Avenue and shortly after spoke with his wife who called on her cell phone to tell him she was at Wal-Mart and ask if he needed anything.
Salmon liked to make coffee and tea and told his wife he needed cups. He also told her he was going to get a haircut and discussed going to the Duke basketball game that Friday.
He got up to see what size cups he needed and continued a casual conversation with his wife.
Salmon usually came home for lunch between noon and 12:30 p.m. and would call to let his wife know if he wasn’t coming.
Around 12:30 p.m. he didn’t show up. His wife called another business in the block to request they look to see if his vehicle was there, which it was.
She left home and went to the business and at approximately 1:06 p.m. discovered her husband’s body on the floor.
Salmon died from a close range gunshot wound to the head and was most likely killed between 10:10 a.m. and 1:06 p.m.
The press release noted the case remains under investigation but investigators and the DA’s office would not comment beyond that. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the police department at 252-533-2810, the sheriff’s office at 252-583-8201 or Halifax County Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.
