Clayton Police make arrest in 2016 home invasion death of 25-year-old man

CLAYTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- Clayton Police announced Monday that have made an arrest in the 2016 fatal shooting of a 25-year-old man.

The shooting happened around 1 a.m. on July 6 of that year, a Saturday night. Police said at the time was Garrett Howard Bridges was shot and killed after two suspects broke into his home on Herndon Court. Investigators said Bridges was asleep in the living room when two people in masks forced their way inside through a back door. Children were asleep in a nearby room, but were unharmed. The suspects fired a handgun and Bridges was killed by a single gunshot.

Police said they believed Bridges knew the suspects, but it still took nearly four years for an arrest to be made in his case.

During the weekend, and more than 400 miles away, Clayton Police arrested 29-year-old Terrelle Andrews in Macon, Georgia. He will be extradited to Johnston County to stand trial for murder.

When the shooting happened, it was Clayton's first homicide in two years.

"This was the Clayton Police Department's only remaining unsolved murder," said Clayton Police Chief Blair Myhand. "Credit goes to our great team, in particular Lead Detective Jason Linder and Sergeant Brian Temple, who invested hundreds, if not thousands, of hours over the last four years into solving this case. This arrest is the culmination of all of their hard work and dedication to not only the family of the victim, but the residents of the Mitchiner Hills neighborhood and the entire Clayton community."

Bridges' family, including his mother, father and grandmother, released a statement in reaction to the news of the arrest.

"We struggled with some of his choices, but we loved Garrett and miss him," the family said. "Maybe this arrest will lend our family a way to deal with our hurt and pain. We are so thankful for Detective Linder - he did not give up. This case could have easily never been solved - people weren't talking, they weren't sharing information...but Linder simply did not quit. It was our child, not his, but he moved in a way as if it was his son. That is huge to our family...he got into the weeds and really worked this case...and you just don't know what that means. While we believe there should be consequences for hurting anyone, we feel sorry for the suspect and for what his family and his mother are now going to endure. No mom wants their children to do something atrocious to someone else."

This case is still under investigation and police said more arrests are likely.