Detectives with the Kinston Police Department have obtained arrest warrants for two individuals, Jeramiah Golphin, 21, of Snow Hill, NC, and Kobe Sheppard, 26, of Kinston, in connection with the murder of 35-year-old Melvin Lofton.

Golphin was arrested on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, with the help of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. He faces charges of First-Degree Murder and Felony Conspiracy. Golphin is currently being held at the Lenoir County Jail under a secured bond.

On Thursday, November 14, 2024, Sheppard was apprehended by the Kinston Police Department’s SWAT team, with assistance from the NC SBI. Sheppard has been charged with First-Degree Murder and Felony Conspiracy. He is also being held at the Lenoir County Jail under a secured bond.

On behalf of Chief Keith Goyette, the Kinston Police Department extends gratitude to all agencies involved in the arrests and for their role in bringing closure to this case.

Previous Release

On Thursday, November 7, 2024, at approximately 12:06 AM, Kinston Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a subject that struck a pole with a vehicle at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Harvey St. Officers were also advised that the subject driving the vehicle appeared to have been shot.

Upon arrival officers located a 35 year old male from Kinston lying outside of a Jeep SUV at the intersection. The subject had been shot and was unresponsive. Officers attempted life saving measures and EMS was dispatched. The subject succumbed to his injuries on scene. 

Officers located the initial scene of the incident at the 500 block of Harvey St. Kinston Detectives and Crime Scene personnel responded and are actively conducting further investigation into the incident.

The Kinston Police Department places the highest priority on investigating crimes of violence perpetrated in our city. We will investigate such cases without compromise for crime and continue to seek assistance from the community we proudly serve. If anyone has information about this incident, please call the Kinston Police Department’s Tips Line at 252-939-4020, Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444, or through the Tip411 App that is available on both Apple and Android devices. Calls to Crime Stoppers are confidential and anonymous, and the caller may be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.