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 Craig Hicks, 46, was indicted on three counts of first-degree
murder in the shooting deaths of a newlywed couple who were his
neighbors in Chapel Hill and the wife's sister, a college student.
During a brief court hearing, Hicks stared straight ahead, answering
the judge's questions with “Yes, sir” before prosecutors presented
evidence for pursuing the matter as a capital case.
The Feb. 10 deaths of Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, a University of North
Carolina dental student; his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21; and
her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, a student at North
Carolina State University, drew international attention and inspired
the hashtag #MuslimLivesMatter on social media.
Their families contend that Hicks, a paralegal student who presented
himself on Facebook as an atheist, was fueled by hatred toward the
victims because of their Muslim faith.
 Several family members of the victims attended the hearing but
declined to comment.
Federal and local authorities are investigating whether a hate crime
was committed, and more charges could be added against Hicks, Durham
County District Attorney Roger Echols said.
"First-degree murder is the highest crime you can be convicted of
and that is our focus," Echols said.
Hicks’ blood was found on the pants of one of the victims, with
gunshot residue on his hands, according to prosecutors presenting
evidence to Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson Jr.
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Hicks turned himself in to police and had the firearm used in the
shooting in his possession, Assistant Attorney Jim Dornfried said in
court.
He said Hicks shot Barakat first, and then turned his gun on the two
women, who were screaming.
“They were alive after the first volley and each of these women was
then shot in the head,” Dornfried said.
Dornfried said Hicks recalled arguing with the victims over parking.
Hicks kept pictures and notes on his computer about parking activity
in the lots around his condominium about two miles from the
University of North Carolina campus in Chapel Hill, according to
police search warrants.
(Reporting by Marti Maguire; Writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by
Doina Chiacu, Leslie Adler, Letitia Stein and Ted Botha)
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