Pellet gun kills Harnett County man, cousin charged with murder

HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A woman is behind bars after Harnett County deputies claim she murdered her cousin with a pellet gun.

On Wednesday, deputies responded to 29 Elmon Gilchrist Lane in Erwin to a reported trespassing with shots fired call. When deputies arrived, a man, identified as 42-year-old Christopher Joe Pearce was found lying in the yard with an upper chest wound.

Deputies performed life saving measures until EMS arrived. Pearce was pronounced dead at 9:13 a.m.

Investigators were able to determine that Pearce had been shot multiple times with a pellet gun and that the shooter was his cousin Rachel Ferguson. Both Ferguson and Pearce lived at the home on Elmon Gilchrist Lane with Ferguson's husband and child.

On Thursday, investigators attended the autopsy where they learned that a pellet fired from the pellet gun had caused Pearce's death. Warrants were obtained for 2nd degree Murder, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, 3 counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Rachel Diane Ferguson, 23, was arrested on Thursday and is facing multiple charges including second-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, 3 counts of assault with a deadly weapon .

She remains in the Harnett County Detention Center where she received no bond on the 2nd Degree Murder charge and a $100,000 secured bond on the remaining charges.