Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall will not be seeking the death penalty in the case of a murdered UNC professor from July of this year.

59-year-old Feng Liu was hit in the head with a landscaping rock on July 23rd, while he was walking near West University Drive and Ransom Street and died the next day at UNC Hospitals.

Two men were arrested in connection with the case the next day.

They’re charged with first-degree murder – a capital crime – but Woodall says there are issues that exist with the death penalty, in its current form.

“The death penalty is really in a state of uncertainty,” he says. “There has not been an execution [in North Carolina] in many years. There are lots of challenges to our death penalty statute and the scheme that is used in North Carolina. That’s true all over the country.”

DA Woodall also says that, based on recent history, he does not believe a death verdict would ultimately be handed down.

“[Even] as horrific as the circumstances of this case are, I think it’s extremely unlikely that there would be a death verdict in this case,” he says. “I talked to the Liu family, and they did not want it pursued as a death penalty case.”

Woodall says the discussion with the victim’s family does not make the decision of whether to pursue the death penalty or not, but it does factor into his equation.

The next step in the Liu trial is a court date set for April, which Woodall refers to as an “administrative” appearance.

Woodall adds that the investigation is ongoing and new discoveries are being made. Those discoveries must then be shared with the defense throughout the trial.

The district attorney is not expecting to have evidence back from the state crime lab before the next trial date.

“It will not be a case that’s for trial for some period of time,” he says. “Waiting to get the evidence back from the crime lab will take, probably, close to a year.”

27-year-old Troy Arrington, of Chapel Hill, and 23-year-old Derick Davis II, of Durham, have been charged in killing the professor.

The two men face charges of armed robbery in addition to first-degree murder.

Related Stories
‹
2nd Suspect Pleads Guilty to 2015 Murder of Chapel Hill Infant
The second suspect accused in the Christmas Day 2015 shooting death of 1-year-old Maleah Williams entered a guilty plea in Orange County Court on Tuesday. Pierre Je Bron Moore pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, discharged a weapon into occupied property, possession of a firearm by a felon and assault with a deadly weapon with intent […]
Trial of One Suspect in 2014 UNC Professor Murder Underway
Opening statements were made Wednesday afternoon in the trial of a man accused of killing a UNC professor in 2014. The first-degree murder trial of Troy Arrington began late Wednesday afternoon with different scenarios laid out by the prosecution and defense. Arrington is being tried in connection with the July 2014 killing of UNC professor […]
Jury Selection Begins for 2014 Murder Suspect
Jury selection is underway for a man accused of killing a UNC professor on July 23, 2014. The preliminary portion of the trial against Troy Arrington began Tuesday morning, more than 30 months after Feng Liu was robbed and beaten to death. Liu was a research professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Troy […]
Kania Charged with 3 Counts of 2nd Degree Murder
The 20-year-old UNC student charged in the fatal crash on I-85 on Sunday made his first court appearance on Thursday. Chandler Michael Kania was taken directly from UNC Hospitals to the Orange County Courthouse to appear before District Judge Charles Anderson. After being wheeled into the courtroom, Kania was served with additional felony charges including […]
DA Woodall Says NC Death Penalty System Needs Reform
DA Woodall says that if North Carolina is going to continue with the death penalty as an option, then it needs to be reformed.
Local Government Meetings: June 15-19, 2026
This week in local government: a proposed AI moratorium in Durham and a board appointment (maybe) in Chatham County.
Garbage Collection, Local Transit and More: How Memorial Day Will Impact Local Services
The observation of Memorial Day Monday, May 25 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Memorial Day is an official town holiday. Most town and other administrative offices will be closed. Residential trash will not be collected on Monday, with the make-up day […]
Orange County Visitors Bureau Executive Director Laurie Paolicelli Announces Retirement
Laurie Paolicelli recently announced this year will be her last as executive director for the Orange County Visitors Bureau.
Orange County Animal Control Searching for Fox in Chapel Hill After 2 People Bitten
Two people are receiving treatment after they were bitten by a fox Friday afternoon. Animal Control officers are active in Chapel Hill.
Orange County Clerk of Court Mark Kleinschmidt Wins State, National Honors
Orange County Clerk of Superior Court Mark Kleinschmidt has been recognized with two awards – one statewide and one national – in recognition of his service. Kleinschmidt received the North Carolina Guardianship Association’s Trailblazer Award last week in Asheville, recognizing his two terms as Clerk of Superior Court and Probate Judge. In legal terms, guardianship […]
›