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Authorities Charge Johnston County Man in Death of Wife

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FOUR OAKS, N.C. — Authorities have charged a JohnstonCounty man with murdering his wife after finding her body in thecouple's Four Oaks mobile home Sunday morning.

David Earl Holmes, 38, surrendered himself at around 3:30 a.m. after a standoff with authorities that lastedmore than 17 hours

Johnston County deputies said that Holmes fired a shotgun and a handgun from the home.

After Holmes was secured, deputies entered the home and foundhis wife, Janice, dead with a gunshot wound. The body was taken to the state medical examiner's office in Chapel Hill.

Holmes' 15-year-old stepdaughter alerted authorities Saturday morning after escaping from the trailer, where she and her mother had been beaten, authorities said.

The girl told deputies she had been bound with duct tape andbeaten since 4 a.m. Saturday. She said she escaped when herstepfather fell asleep.

Holmes is charged with first-degree murder, first-degreekidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held without bond.

The 15-year-old is being treated for injuries at Johnston Memorial Hospital.

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