79 Year-Old Man Murdered At Home, Victim Of Apparent Random Homicide

Victim Shoots Suspect Before Assailant Leads Law Enforcement Officers On Vehicle Chase

Crime scene tape surrounds a home at 4092 US Highway 701 South, Four Oaks. Johnston County Report Photo

JOHNSTON COUNTY – An elderly man was fatally stabbed by a stranger at his Four Oaks area home Thursday. The victim was able to shoot the suspect multiple times before the assailant led deputies on a chase into the Smithfield city limits where he was taken into custody and rushed to the hospital with serious injuries.

Just after 1:00pm today, the Johnston County 911 Center received a call from a wife stating a man was in the yard of their residence at 4092 US Highway 701 South stabbing her husband. Deputies and EMS were immediately dispatched to the home.

While deputies were still responding, they received information from an eyewitness the suspect had left the scene. Deputies located the suspect’s vehicle on Highway 301 traveling towards Smithfield. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver refused to pull over.

Johnston County deputies and Smithfield Police chased the suspect until he stopped at his home at 116 E. Wellons Street, Smithfield, at the intersection of S. Second Street.

Law enforcement officers took 25 year-old Isaac James Martin of 116 E. Wellons Street into custody. Martin had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. EMS rushed Martin to WakeMed with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Smithfield Police and Johnston County deputies block off Wellons Street at South Second Street following a chase with a murder suspect who had been shot multiple times. Johnston County Report Photo

Additional deputies arrived at 4092 US Highway 701 South and found 79 year-old Keith L. Slocum deceased in the back yard from multiple stab wounds.

Sheriff’s Captain Jeff Caldwell said the preliminary investigation shows Slocum was attempting to defend himself against Martin on his property. There is no known connection between Slocum or Marcum and no reason why the suspect would be at the victim’s home.

A warrant has been obtained for Isaac James Martin charging him with murder. He will be served the murder warrant once released from WakeMed.

Captain Caldwell said the homicide remains under investigation. No further details have been released.

14 COMMENTS

  1. I hope James Martin dies a slow death from incurable infection from those gunshot wounds then burns in hell.

  2. the system is going to be fair and give this sob full justice of the death penalty…… isaac james martin for killing my dad i will make sure justice is served out sir you are a POS your judgment day is coming like a frate train…..

  3. What a shame. So glad Mr. Slocum put some bullets in Martin. Shame Martin didn’t bleed to death and Mr. Slocum survive. Guess God had other plans for Slocum. Praying for Mr. Slocum’s family and friends.

  4. Isaac J. Martin has an extensive criminal record for many different crimes. He should not have been on the streets where he could continue his criminal career. The judges in this county need to wake up and do their job so this does not happen again. Johnston County is becoming more and more dangerous everyday.

    • K Graves you are so correct, every judge that ruled on this man walking free are just as responsible for this innocent man death as the human garbage that did this. This is what a collapsing society looks like folks when one political party trades it citizens in for open boarders and defund the police. This human garbage was probably molded by our local school system into hating the likes of Mr. Slocum. I am sure he felt empowered by recent Political events that he deserved what Mr. Slocum had and the rule of law does not exist anymore.

      • Terry, you have improved on your grammar as of late. Makes your points clearer. However, students must want to learn. It was a long time ago when we were in the 8th grade. The JCPS System was not that bad back then. I do agree with you though, it’s not what it once was.

  5. Thanks Doc, as for my writing and making my points. I am sure you can relate that it depends on which identity shoulders through the crowd and up to the windows of my sole and stares at the keyboard below.

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