By Erin Smith
Two men had their murder cases dismissed in Bladen County Superior Court on Wednesday.
Raliek Tyree Lapaix and Malik Sharmaine Riggans were charged with first-degree murder. Those charges have been dismissed, according to Bladen County court records.
Bladen County Assistant District Attorney Quentin McGee said the case against defendant Gabriel McDowell is still pending.
According to court records, the dismissal for LaPaix’s court case reads “The prior statements made by co-defendant Gabriel McDowell that implicated Raliek LaPaix are not supported by recently completed DNA lab testing. At this time, there is no known additional evidence implicating the defendant.”
According to court records, the dismissal for Riggans court case reads “The prior statements made by co-defendant Gabriel McDowell that implicated Malik Riggans are not supported by recently completed DNA lab testing. At this time, there is no known additional evidence implicating the defendant.”
According to the Bladen County court records, Raliek Tyree Lapaix and Malik Sharmaine Riggans were charged along with Gabrial McDowell with robbing and killing Charles Leon Leach, 60, who lived on Ida’s Lane near Clarkton.
The cases were dismissed by the court on Wednesday afternoon, records show.
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