The deadly 2022 home invasion that left 80-year-old Nancy "Nan" Horton dead in her Person County home has reached a legal end, with a Roxboro father and son now sentenced to long prison terms. On Monday, a Person County Superior Court judge accepted their guilty pleas. Roger Wilkerson was ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole, while his son, Troy, who was 16 at the time of the killing, received a minimum multi-decade sentence and will be eligible for parole. The resolution closes a case that had left Horton's family and neighbors searching for answers since September 2022.
Pleas and sentences
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced the guilty pleas in a news release, and reporting by KABB / Fox San Antonio says Roger Wilkerson pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus additional minimum terms totaling about 10 years and eight months. The outlet also reports that Troy Wilkerson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a minimum sentence of roughly 23 years and will be eligible for parole. In its statement, highlighted in that coverage, the SBI wrote, "We are extremely grateful for the outstanding work of all involved that led to today's guilty plea."
How investigators say it unfolded
According to ABC11, family members went to Horton’s Burlington Road home on Sept. 20, 2022, when she failed to answer phone calls and found her dead inside. Local reporting at the time said investigators believe the suspects entered through an open window, shot Horton and stole her car, according to WECT.
Charges and criminal history
Court filings and sheriff’s office statements, summarized by KABB / Fox San Antonio, show Roger Wilkerson faced multiple counts beyond murder, including three counts of breaking and entering into motor vehicles, possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a concealed pistol, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession of Schedule III and IV controlled substances, and resisting or obstructing an officer. Authorities also said Wilkerson was out on bond for a breaking-and-entering case when Horton was killed.
Legal implications
Because Troy was a juvenile at the time of the offense, his sentence includes the possibility of parole, while Roger’s first-degree conviction carries life without parole. The State Bureau of Investigation and local prosecutors said the pleas followed an investigation that turned up evidence sufficient for guilty pleas, according to WRAL.
Community and the victim's life
Horton's obituary notes she and her late husband operated Roseville Grocery for more than 33 years and that she was a member of New Life Independent Baptist Church, according to Legacy.com. Person County Sheriff Jason Wilborn called the outcome personal for the community and told WRAL the resolution brings "certainty, accountability and finality" for Horton's family.
