Malachai Loftin, 52, was shot in the head and killed on January 2, 2006, at a private residence in Atkinson, Pender County, North Carolina. Loftin was at the home of his friend Michelle Kirby when her ex-boyfriend, Lakane Murphy, broke in early that morning and attacked both Kirby and Loftin. Kirby, then 34, survived severe beating; Loftin was found dead at the scene.

Lakane Murphy, 33 and from Currie, North Carolina, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Murphy had prior convictions for robbery and assault. He later pleaded guilty and accepted life without the possibility of parole; his attorneys noted he struggled with bipolar disorder and argued treatment might have changed the outcome. Loftin’s mother, Mary Ruth Fennell, spoke publicly about her grief and appreciation for the prosecution’s work.

Does anyone have information about Loftin’s last hours or the wider circumstances that led to this break-in?