Police Identify Slain UNCW Student, Continue Active Search For Suspect

The victim was identified Saturday as Christine Naujoks, the ex-girlfriend of suspect John Peck. Peck was on the run Saturday night, and deputies said he may have altered his appearance.

Peck's father, Larry, a former employee of the New Hanover Sheriff's Office, released a statement Saturday asking his son to turn himself in.

"I feel so bad for the family and especially for Christine Naujoks," said Larry Peck, a current member of the Fraternal Order of Police. "My prayers go out to her and the family, and I want to tell my son to please turn yourself in."

According to New Hanover County detectives, John Peck shot and killed Naujoks -- who recently had accused Peck of stalking her -- about 9:30 p.m. Friday at an apartment complex on North Chase Parkway.

Witnesses at the shooting said a woman was banging on one of the apartment's doors as a man chased her with a rifle.

Peck last was seen driving a Green Toyota 4Runner with license plate "SRR 8120." He also could be driving a gray Nissan pickup truck with license plate "LTB 6632."

He reportedly has shaved his head to alter his appearance.

Peck has a criminal record that includes felony assault on a female, misdemeanor assault on a female, two counts of felony crime against nature and probation.

Peck recently was charged with misdemeanor stalking and making harassing phone calls to Naujoks. He reportedly had been expelled from UNCW recently because he did not acknowledge his previous convictions on his application.

The murder was the second of a female UNCW student on or near campus in a month. Eighteen-year-old Jessica Faulkner of Cary was found strangled to death in her dorm room in early May.

A male student from Charlotte -- Curtis Dixon -- has been arrested on first-degree murder charges in connection with Faukner's death. He also faces charges of first-degree rape, sexual offense and kidnapping.

According to UNCW officials, both Dixon and Peck lied about previous criminal convictions on their applications for admission, bringing the university's admissions polices under scrutiny. Following Faulkner's murder, there was concern that students' safety is compromised when convicted criminals are not identified before they are admitted to college.

In the Faulkner case, authorities said Dixon's admissions application did not cite a previous misdemeanor conviction.

University officials reported last week -- after claiming that both Peck and Dixon lied about their backgrounds -- that there are no plans to review the school's admissions policies.

In Friday night's shooting, Naujoks was shot three times, once in the face. Witnesses reportedly said they heard shots and screams and then saw Naujoks on the ground in front of the door to an apartment.