Paul Benthall Jr., 42, of Greensboro, left, and Kevin Jermund Billings, 46, of Maxton.

Paul Benthall Jr., 42, of Greensboro, left, and Kevin Jermund Billings, 46, of Maxton.

ST. PAULS — Two men have been charged in connection to a 2015 fatal shooting and home invasion.

On Monday, Paul Benthall Jr., 42, of Greensboro and Kevin Jermund Billings, 46, of Maxton were charged in the cold case, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.

On Sept. 28, 2015, at about 10:34 p.m, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 3300 block of Shaw Road in St. Pauls in reference to a home invasion. When deputies arrived, they found Rodney Murphey, 51, of Maxton dead from a gunshot wound. During the home invasion two other men were shot and a woman was assaulted, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.

Benthall and Billings are charged with first degree murder, three counts of armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and seven counts of kidnapping. Benthall and Billings are in custody without bond, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.

A prepared statement made available to The Robesonian on Monday stated that investigators “continued with the investigation and charged Quatrell D. Nicholson, 33, and Carson Brown, 35, both of Laurinburg in 2016 in relation to Murphy’s death.” Nicholson and Brown are also charged with first degree murder, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and seven counts of kidnapping, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.

David Kennard is the executive editor of the Robesonian. Reach him by email at [email protected].