FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Angie Grube
Public Information Director
980-781-3049
agrube@ncsbi.gov

February 26, 2020

Two Arrested in Triple Homicide Investigation

Raleigh, NC – After months of investigating and trying to bring closure to the Ciprian-Noyola family, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) have made two arrests in a triple homicide investigation where Leonel Ciprian Noyola (29), Nancy Trujillo Espinoza (25) and Alexis Ciprian Trujillo (5) were found shot to death inside their Whiteville home on September 7, 2019.  The grandmother, Rafaela Noyola Jaramillo, was also shot, but survived. 

On Monday, February 24, 2020, a 17-year-old juvenile was arrested on three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, three counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, larceny of a motor vehicle and possession of stolen goods.  The juvenile was booked at the Columbus County Detention Center on a $450,000 bond.  The bond was increased to $5.4 million dollars the following day during a first appearance.  The juvenile has since been moved to a different detention facility.

On Tuesday, February 25, 2020, Prentis Deshawne McDuffie a.k.a. “Chopper,” 30, was arrested on the same charges:  three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, three counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, larceny of a motor vehicle and possession of stolen goods.  McDuffie was booked at the Columbus County Detention Center with no bond.     

The investigation remains ongoing.  No additional information is available at this time.