Trio of Men Arrested and Charged in Connection to Orange County Murder

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office identified and announced charges against a trio of men on Wednesday related to a home invasion murder in March.

A release from the office said investigators arrested 28-year-old Demarcus Tatum, 49-year-old Christopher Hamlett, and 42-year-old Scotty Pleasants in recent weeks over their connections to the shooting of Jerry Lee Driggers — a 58-year-old Orange County resident. All three face charges of first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree kidnapping, and felony conspiracy, while authorities also charged Tatum with possession of a firearm by a felon.

Driggers died after being shot during a home invasion during the early hours on March 3 off U.S. Highway 70 near Buckhorn Road. During its investigation at the time, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office reported three armed intruders broke into the residence wearing masks and black clothing. They held the people there at gunpoint and demanded money, until Driggers fired a shotgun at the group and struck one person. Another suspect then returned fire, which struck and fatally wounded Driggers.

The trio’s arrests come after sheriff’s deputies had already arrested one suspect in the case: 28-year-old Clarence Hayes of Durham, who was identified as the shot intruder. He was picked up in the parking lot of a nearby business to the residence with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, and was arrested after surgery and treatment for his injury. According to Wednesday’s release, Hayes pled guilty in July to second-degree murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree kidnapping, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, felony conspiracy, and injury to real property charges. He will now await sentencing at the conclusion of legal proceedings against the three other defendants.

According to the sheriff’s office, Hamlett is a Hillsborough resident — while Tatum is from Durham and Pleasants is from the Creedmoor community. All three are being held in the Orange County Detention Center with no bond.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office added in its release that anyone who may have further information or questions about the case around Driggers’ death and home invasion, they are encouraged to call Lieutenant Dylan Hendricks at 919-245- 2951.

Featured photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

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Trio of Men Arrested and Charged in Connection to Orange County Murder

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