BENSON – A search warrant served on a suspect in the murder of 70 year-old James Dwight Peacock of Benson has revealed new details about the case. Wesley Alexander Jones, age 25, of Fayetteville is accused of murdering Mr. Peacock, his former step-father, at 1621 NC Highway 27 West.
Peacock’s body was discovered June 15, 2023. He sustained a gunshot wound to the chest.
According to the search warrant, James Peacock had been a recent victim of a break-in at his residence and business, both located on the same property on NC Highway 27 West just outside the Benson city limits.
During the June 15 homicide investigation, Johnston County sheriff’s investigators observed the victim’s dresser had been gone through and several rounds of .38 caliber ammunition was on the floor near the dresser. An empty money clip belonging to the victim was found. It was missing an undisclosed amount of cash.
The victim’s daughter, Bridgett Elliott, told homicide detectives Wesley Jones was suspected of previous breaking and enterings that had been reported to the sheriff’s office in 2021 and 2023.
The search warrant stated, “Jones is Peacock’s former step-son. It was also discovered that Jones and Peacock had a history of violence involving firearms, notably a 2018 incident where Peacock discharged a firearm when Jones refused to leave his property.”
Ms. Elliott said she last spoke with her father at 8:47pm on June 14. He began missing phone calls beginning on June 15 around 7:30am. Later, family members requested the sheriff’s office conduct a welfare check at his home when he could not be reached. His body was found inside the residence.
During the investigation, detectives went to a home on W. First Street in Princeton attempting to locate Wesley Jones. They didn’t find Jones but did speak with his ex-wife who told detectives she received a text from him on June 15th around 7:30am asking if she needed Pampers and clothes for a child, the search warrant stated.
Detectives were given a phone number to reach Jones. By telephone, he told authorities he had not seen James Peacock since 2021 and had not been to his residence recently.
Jones agreed to meet with detectives the next day, June 16, at the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. During an interview, Jones stated he was now living in Fayetteville. When questioned about his whereabouts or his involvement with the murder of his former step-father, Jones requested an attorney.
Later, Superior Court Judge Thomas Lock signed a court order allowing law enforcement access to Jones’ cell phone usage and location. Working with the NC SBI, detectives determined Jones was using a cell phone tower in the Fayetteville area on June 14 around 8:45pm. At 9:18pm that same night, his phone was connected to a cell phone tower in Benson, not far from the crime scene. At approximately 12:40am June 15, his cell phone was once again using a tower in Fayetteville.
A DNA sample was taken from Wesley Jones to compare with possible DNA evidence related to the homicide.
A motive for the slaying was not disclosed in the search warrant.
Wesley Jones was arrested June 22 on murder charges. He remains in the Johnston County Jail being held without privilege of bond.
