Edward Starr Cook, III, 51, was discovered after neighbors complained of a foul odor along Carowinds and Billy Joe drives in the Linden Township. The area is located near the Cape Fear River between I-95 and Fort Bragg.
The state medical examiner in Chapel Hill said Cook died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Now, deputies say 29-year old Lewis Berlin Hilpert of 4203 Sweetwater Drive, Fayetteville, is charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. Investigators have not said what led to his arrest.
Some of Cook's neighbors had initially expressed concern the murder may have been random, but deputies say that is not the case.
Investigators aren't releasing many details about the crime yet, but they do confirm both men worked at Methodist University.
"The victim worked in landscaping, and the suspect worked at Methodist in the maintenance department, so they had to cross paths at least once," Cumberland County Sheriff's Department Spokesperson Debbie Tanna said.
Hilpert is currently being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center under no bond. His first court appearance is scheduled for Monday at 2:30 p.m.
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