Two local residents pleaded guilty Monday to voluntary manslaughter in separate shooting deaths occurring just hours apart in Sampson County in July 2008, with the judge doling out minimum sentences in the cases of eight years in prison and six and a half years, respectively.

In the first case, Louis Franklin Highsmith, formerly of 625 Garland Airport Road, Garland, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the July 26, 2008 shooting death of Linwood Dion Rich. Highsmith was sentenced by Resident Superior Court Judge Russell J. Lanier Jr. to a minimum of 95 and a maximum of 123 months in prison, pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement.

On the date of the shooting, deputies were called to the scene of a shooting at an illegal night club known as the “Peter Rabbit Club” located between Roseboro and Garland on Willie Brown Road.

According to witnesses, an argument erupted between the victim and two other people. The victim walked closer to the two and turned away when he saw Highsmith with a handgun. Rich was shot as he turned away.

Highsmith then left the area in a Ford Taurus with Janie Newton.

Investigators located the vehicle at a residence in Clinton and spoke with Newton; at the same time, officers spoke with Highsmith at his residence on Garland Airport Road.

Newton told detectives that she was talking with two people when an unknown male came up to one of the three and started making “derogatory” remarks, to which the defendant responded. Newton said she was walking toward the club when she heard a pop that sounded like a “starter pistol”.

She then turned and saw Highsmith walking towards her car. She, Highsmith and another male left the club. She said she asked the defendant if he had shot Rich and he said, “I don’t know, he was still walking.”

During his interview with investigators, Highsmith admitted to shooting Rich, but said he saw the victim make a movement and he thought he was reaching for a gun. Highsmith also took the officers to where he threw the gun from the vehicle and a .357 handgun was located.

Rich had previously been convicted of assault inflicting serious injury in 1999; felony larceny in 200 and 2001; accessory after the fact to a felony in 2002; felony breaking and entering in 2003; felony possession of stolen goods in 2005; common law robbery in 2005; and cruelty to animals in 2007. His blood alcohol content was approximately .12.

Sampson County medical examiner Dr. Carl Barr determined that Rich died from a gunshot wound to the back.

In the other sentencing Monday, Xavier Edison Moore, 24, formerly of Frank Lane, Clinton, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the July 2008 shooting death of Bobby “Chief” Revels of 532 Maurice Pate Lane.

Moore was sentenced by Judge Lanier to a minimum of 77 months and maximum of 102 months in prison. He was ordered to reimburse the N.C. Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund in the amount of $4,200.94.

On July 26, Revels’ boss, concerned that he did not arrive for work at his turkey houses, went to Revels’ home. When no one answered the door, he went inside, where he discovered Revels lying on a mattress on the floor in his living room with a gunshot wound to his head.

Sampson County Sheriff’s authorities were called and, during the course of the investigation, officers found that the last two people who were with Revels at the time of his death were his girlfriend and Moore.

The girlfriend told investigators that she and Revels has been fishing earlier that day and, as it had gotten dark, all three went inside and began to drink. She said the two engaged in consensual sex and fell asleep. However, the girlfriend said she awoke later with the victim on top of her, “sexually assaulting her,” according to investigators.

She resisted, woke Moore up and the two left Revels’ residence. However, when at the end of the path leading to the Maurice Pate Lane home, Moore told the woman to get out of the car and that he was going to “take care of Chief” and “get him,” investigators said.

According to facts of the case, Moore was gone about two to three minutes and, when he returned and was asked by the girlfriend what happened, he told her Revels was “gone.” She told investigators she did not see the defendant with a gun and did not recall hearing gunshots.

Prosecutors said Revels, who his girlfriend said propositioned her in the past, was a registered sex offender. He was convicted of taking indecent liberties with a child in Hoke County in 1992.

Moore told investigators that he awoke during the alleged assault on Revels’ girlfriend. He gave a similar story of the events — leaving the house, stopping and coming back. Moore said, once he returned to the home, he and Revels argued and he shot and killed him. He told investigators that he threw the gun into a pond close to the victim’s residence.

The Sampson County Sheriff’s Dive Team searched the pond for the gun, but did not find it. Four .45-caliber handgun projectiles were found in Revels’ home. Dr. Barr said the victim has been shot four times, including the lethal shot to the head.

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or send e-mail to sisports@myclintonnc.com. Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 121, or by email at sicrime@myclintonnc.com.