North Carolina cold case heats up with stepmother accused of killing missing teen

More than 11 years aft an 18-year-old North Carolina pistillate mysteriously disappeared connected her mode to work, authorities accidental the lawsuit has yet cracked open.

Sara Nicole Graham's stepmother, Connie Graham, is present charged with first-degree murder, portion 2 of her sons are accused of helping screen up the crime, according to the Robeson County Sheriff's Office.

The arrests people a melodramatic crook successful a lawsuit that baffled investigators for much than a decennary and near Graham's household searching for answers arsenic her assemblage remained missing.

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Connie Graham, of Fairmont, was arrested Thursday connected charges of first-degree murder, altering, stealing oregon destroying transgression grounds and 2 counts of felony conspiracy.

Her sons, Bobby Matthew McLellan and Luke Locklear, some of Lumberton, were besides arrested. McLellan is charged with accessory aft the fact, felony conspiracy and grounds tampering, portion Locklear is charged with felony conspiracy and grounds tampering.

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Connie Graham was denied enslaved during her archetypal tribunal appearance. McLellan and Locklear are each being held connected $1 cardinal secured bonds.

Sara Graham vanished connected Feb. 4, 2015, aft leaving her location astir 6:30 a.m. for her displacement astatine a Walmart successful adjacent Pembroke. She ne'er made it to work.

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Sara Nicole Graham disappeared connected Feb. 4, 2015, aft leaving for work. Her stepmother and 2 stepbrothers person since been charged successful transportation with her death. (FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation - Charlotte tract office))

Later that day, deputies recovered her van abandoned successful a tract adjacent Interstate 95, but Graham had seemingly vanished without a trace.

The enigma lingered for years.

Earlier this month, a Robeson County justice legally declared Graham dormant aft she had been missing for much than 7 years, clearing the mode for prosecutors to determination guardant arsenic a homicide case.

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Mugshots of Connie Graham, Bobby Matthew McLellan and Luke Locklear, who were arrested successful transportation with the decease of Sara Graham. (Robeson County Sheriff's Office)

Even now, investigators person not recovered her body.

Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said the probe ne'er went cold, contempt the years that passed without an arrest.

"While immoderate whitethorn person believed this lawsuit had gone cold, the world is simply a lawsuit similar this ne'er leaves the minds of the investigators assigned to it," Wilkins said.

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Law enforcement officers apprehension Connie Graham successful transportation with the 2015 disappearance and decease of Sara Graham. (Robeson County Sheriff's Office)

"When I took bureau successful 2018, 1 of my archetypal priorities was to get justness for Sara, and that doesn't extremity with the transgression charges today. We volition not halt until we find her."

Wilkins said helium hopes the arrests bring "some measurement of comfort" to Graham's loved ones aft much than a decennary of unanswered questions.

"While thing tin undo the nonaccomplishment felt by truthful many, we anticipation these arrests supply immoderate measurement of comfort," helium said. "The pursuit of justness ne'er stopped, Sara was ne'er forgotten, and those responsible, nary substance however hard they tried, did not outrun the pursuit of justice."

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Sara Nicole Graham was 18 years aged erstwhile she disappeared portion connected her mode to enactment successful North Carolina. She has ne'er been found. (FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation - Charlotte tract office))

Authorities person not revealed what grounds led investigators to apprehension Graham's stepmother and stepbrothers, saying they cannot disclose cardinal details portion the lawsuit moves done the courts.

Sara Graham's mother, Catherine Armenta, told WPDE done her lawyer that the past 11 years person been "tremendously difficult."

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"Not a time goes by that my different children and I don't deliberation astir Sara. We miss her terribly," Armenta said, according to the station.

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Armenta said the family's determination to person Sara legally declared dormant earlier this period was "incredibly painful" but indispensable aft much than a decennary without answers. She besides thanked the Robeson County Sheriff's Office, the FBI and prosecutors for continuing to prosecute the lawsuit and renewed the family's plea for anyone with accusation astir Sara's disappearance to travel forward.

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The FBI is inactive offering a reward of up to $5,000 for accusation starring to the betterment of Sara Graham's body.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to the Robeson County Sheriff's Office for immoderate further updates oregon remark arsenic the probe continues.