May 19, 2013
Three men, who are brothers, made plea deals in court today for the murder of an elderly Pitt County man.
Michael Bray, Jason Walters and Chris Powell pleaded guilty to second degree murder and armed robbery in connection with the October 2010 murder of Hue Sutton.
The three had originally been charged with first degree murder.
The 79-year-old man disappeared in October 2010, and after a few days, his body was found in a wooded area behind his home on Leary Mills Road.
A detective read statements from all three. Walters and Powell told deputies that Bray shot Sutton, robbing the man for money to get drugs.
Bray apologized in court for what he did. He told the judge he was "very sorry for what took place."
Bray was sentenced to 20 to 25-1/2 years while the judge gave Walters 21-1/2 to just over 27 years in prison. Powell was sentenced this afternoon to serve between 18 to just over 23 years.
It turns out Bray and Walters are brothers. Both men have the same parents, but one of them took their mother's maiden name.
