GREENSBORO, NC – A North Carolina man is behind bars following the fatal shooting of a woman during a prearranged online marketplace transaction. Troy Marquise Gillard, 31, is facing a first-degree murder charge for the death of 67-year-old Kathryn Garton Holmes, as well as multiple other felonies, including robbery and firearms offenses.

Authorities responded to a reported shooting and subsequent automobile crash in Greensboro, where they discovered Holmes with a gunshot wound. She was rushed to the hospital but tragically passed away from her injuries two days later. It was during a planned meetup on Denny Road to sell an item to Gillard, the nature of which officials have yet to disclose, that the incident occurred.

Investigations revealed that after the shooting, a neighbor had reported seeing a suspicious individual entering a nearby unoccupied residence. This clue, combined with the fact that Gillard had familial ties to the said property, directed the authorities’ suspicions toward him.

In a coordinated effort, the Greensboro Police’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team and the Winston-Salem Police Department succeeded in locating and arresting Gillard. His prior legal troubles include a guilty plea for a felony carjacking charge in 2016.

Currently detained in the Guilford County Jail without bond, Gillard is expected back in court on October 1. Should he be convicted of the charges, he could be facing a life sentence without parole or the death penalty.