On the morning of December 2, 2024, deputies in Robeson County found 71-year-old William Pressley dead of an apparent gunshot wound at a home in the 1400 block of Williamson Road in Fairmont, North Carolina. Investigators arrested Pressley’s brother, 69-year-old Lacey Cole Jr., who was at the scene; Cole was charged with second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and discharging a firearm within an enclosure to incite fear, and was held without bond at the Robeson County Detention Center.

Pressley was born August 31, 1953, in Columbus County and graduated Fairmont High School in 1973. He worked at Carpostan Industries, Converse, and the Walmart Distribution Center in Hope Mills before retiring in 2018. Family remembered him for his love of sports, his encouraging nature, and visiting friends, family, and those in need; a viewing was held December 15, 2024, with a celebration of life at Worley Mortuary & Cremation Service in Fairmont.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive or additional details; the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Division is investigating. If anyone has information, contact 910-671-3170.