Columbus County Man Sentenced to Life for 3 Murders

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A 29-year-old Columbus County man, Natrell McKinnies, was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders of Diondi Sadler, Deonde Sadler, and William Edwards Jr. over a four-year period. The families of the victims chose not to pursue the death penalty, stating that life imprisonment offered more certainty and closure.

Why it matters

This sentencing concludes a multi-year investigation and provides a degree of finality for the families involved. However, further legal proceedings could arise from related matters, such as a lawsuit filed by William Edwards Jr.'s family against the City of Whiteville and the State Bureau of Investigation.

The details

The investigation into these deaths spanned several years and involved the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Whiteville Police Department, and the Columbus County Sheriff's Department. The families of the victims made a deliberate decision not to pursue the death penalty, stating that life imprisonment offered a greater sense of certainty and closure.

• Diondi Sadler was killed in July 2019.
• Deonde Sadler was killed in July 2021.
• William Edwards Jr. was killed in April 2023.

What’s next

Further legal proceedings could arise from related matters, such as the lawsuit filed by William Edwards Jr.'s family against the City of Whiteville and the State Bureau of Investigation.