N.C. man accused of killing missing elderly roommate and burying him in backyard

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (TCD) -- A 34-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of killing his elderly roommate and burying his remains in the backyard of their home.

According to a news release from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, on Wednesday, March 27, a friend reported 69-year-old Lawrence Grabka missing. The reporting party said Grabka failed to pick up the phone, and when she went to his home, his door was unlocked, WECT-TV reports. The woman reportedly found some of Grabka’s belongings inside the residence, but the man was nowhere to be found, which she found odd because she often drove him places.

Deputies responded to 5501 Myrtle Grove Rd. to conduct a welfare check on Grabka, where they met with his roommate, Elvin Baca. According to the sheriff's office, during a further search of the home, investigators "unearthed the tragic reality of a homicide" and discovered Grabka's remains in a shallow grave in the backyard. Authorities did not share further details about how he died.

Detectives with the sheriff's office identified Baca as the primary suspect and arrested him on charges of first-degree murder and failure to report a death. He remains held in the New Hanover County Detention Facility without bond.

New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon said, "The circumstances surrounding this case are deeply concerning, and our thoughts are with the victim's loved ones during this difficult time; our priority remains seeking justice for the victim."

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