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State plans to seek death penalty for man accused of killing 3 in Elizabeth City

Elizabeth City Perry Street triple shooting (December 2).jpg
Posted at 4:34 PM, May 09, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-09 16:34:07-04

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. - The state has ruled that it intends to seek the death penalty in the fatal shooting that took the lives of three people, including a 3-year-old girl, in Elizabeth City in December 2021, District Attorney Andrew Womble confirmed to News 3 Monday.

Ricky Etheridge Jr. was arrested in Norfolk on Dec. 16, 2021, after being wanted for three counts of murder.

The Dec. 2, 2021, shooting happened in the 500 block of Perry Street and Jordan Street, killing 18-year-old Jaquan White of Elizabeth City; 39-year-old Takeyia De’Shay Berry of Manteo; and 3-year-old Allura Pledger, Berry's daughter, also of Manteo.

De'Shay Berry and daughter 3.jpg
De'Shay Berry and her 3-year-old daughter, Allura Pledger

Three more people were injured, including 40-year-old Roderick White, Jaquan White's cousin.

Another man, Terence Tyrone Seymore, was also arrested in connection with this shooting.

We learned last month that prosecutors intended to seek the death penalty, and now court officials say on Monday they conducted a pretrial hearing in Pasquotank County Superior Court.

During the hearing, prosecutors stated to the court and Etheridge the aggravating factors that they contend are present in this case and that they do intend to seek the death penalty.

Etheridge’s next court appearance will be an administrative hearing, and the date has not been set.