According to [1], a jury in Columbus County, North Carolina, found a man guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced him to spend the rest of his life behind bars. The crime occurred in 2022 when he allegedly shot and killed his estranged girlfriend. [2] reported on a similar case but with a different outcome: Charles Whitfield, Jr., was convicted of murder for a gas station shooting that took place in 2023. He received a sentence of over 40 years in jail.