Authorities Investigate Brutal Home Invasion and Murder

Staff Report

A tragic story unfolded last week when a Warren County, NC husband and wife were held hostage by masked intruders and ultimately left for dead. The female victim, 76-year-old Nancy Alford died Friday in a house fire while her husband John barely escaped from the same fate.

The Alford’s ordeal was discovered after firefighters were called to the home in the Wildwood neighborhood of Lake Gaston. According to reports from authorities two masked intruders forcibly entered the Alford’s home on Mulberry Court on the morning of the event where they took the couple hostage.

Following the home invasion, one of the intruders forced Nancy Alford to go with them to the State Employees’ Credit Union branch in Roanoke Rapids. There, the criminal made her withdraw money from an ATM at the location. Meanwhile John Alford was being held captive back at the home where the other criminal remained.

After getting the money, the Alfords were brought back together at the home where the intruders reportedly assaulted and beat up John, tied them both up and set the house on fire.

With the fire raging, John Alford was able to get free and escape from the home fire, but Nancy Alford was unable to make it out and died in the home fire. Neighbors found the husband outside of the home.

John Alford, who is the minister at Sanford Memorial Baptist Church in Brodnax, was flown to Duke University Hospital for treatment of injuries suffered.

The criminals escaped in the Alford’s car, a gray Mercedes, which was located this week, but no other details were given. The investigation is being handled by local authorities as well as the State Bureau of Investigation and the State Highway Patrol.

Anyone with any information on this case is strongly encouraged to contact the Warren County Sheriff’s office at 252-257-3364.

A prayer vigil, “Light Up the Night, Push Back the Darkness,” will be held at 5 p.m. Friday, March 16 at the former Lake House, across from the Wildwood Point Subdivision entrance on Lizard Creek Road, for John Alford, his family and in memory of his wife Nancy.