Mom and daughter among eight accused in missing NC man’s death. What to know
Eight people were arrested in connection to a missing persons-turned-murder case in Horry County, including three suspects who were juveniles at the time.
This week, three of the suspects involved in the 2023 case of the North Carolina man found dead near Gallivants Ferry will be tried on various charges, including murder.
A missing persons report was filed on Jan. 10, 2023, for Corey Adam Soles, 29, of Chadbourn, North Carolina, The Sun News previously reported. Soles was found dead near the Gallivants Ferry area about a week later, prompting an investigation and suspected assault by adults and teenagers.
Police claimed that Soles was assaulted by a mob of suspects, causing him significant bodily injury. Police at the time said that witness testimony and video surveillance confirmed this. Videos capturing the alleged assault showed Soles suffering injuries such as a broken leg, and going unconscious.
Soles died from blunt force trauma, according to the autopsy report. Soles suffered about eight to 10 blows to the head.
Soles was father and husband
So far, it has not been made clear what led to the alleged assault, or what the relationship was between the suspects and Soles.
Soles was married and had three children, according to his obituary.
Soles assisted his father in operating Soles’ Towing & Recovery Service in Chadbourn.
Video footage showed assault
After obtaining a search warrant, officers found video footage at Samantha Watts’ house of Soles being assaulted by four men.
Arresting officer James Fogel testified in court that video showed Soles being put into a wheelchair and wheeled into a shed on Samantha Watts’ property in Green Sea, The Sun News previously reported. Watts denied that the assault had taken place on her property.
Later, video also showed Watts and another suspect carrying a wheelchair and a large object to a vehicle.
During a preliminary hearing, Fogel also said that police found Watts’ cellphone had pinged in the Gallivants Ferry area where Soles’ body was found.
After the discovery of Soles’ body, Watts, then 40, was taken into custody for drug charges and later charged with murder and obstruction of justice. She will be tried for these charges in the Horry County 15th Judicial Circuit Court starting on Monday.
Suspects believed to be related
Four of the eight suspects are believed to be related.
Samantha Watts and Amber Watts are mother and daughter. It is unclear what relation Payton Watts and Jonathan Watts, of Myrtle Beach, are to both women.
Jonathan Watts’ trial on charges of second-degree assault and battery by a mob has not been scheduled.
Payton Watts, now 19, of Green Sea, will be tried for murder in connection to the case starting on Monday. Payton Watts was one of the minors arrested in the case in 2023.
Amber Watts, 24, of Nichols will be tried for accessory after the fact to a felony or murder in connection with the case starting on Monday.
Amber Watts was arrested under suspicion that she concealed evidence and helped dispose of Soles’ body. She was released on bond and had her ankle monitor removed in June 2023.
Others involved in case
Ryan Porter of Tabor City, North Carolina, was also arrested in connection to the case for second-degree assault and battery by a mob in 2023.
Joshua Brown of Nichols was arrested in 2023 for accessory after the fact, as well as third-degree domestic violence related to a since terminated relationship between himself and Amber Watts.
Jonathan Watts was arrested for a second-degree assault and battery by a mob charge in 2023, and was 18 at the time.
The two other juveniles arrested at the time in this case remain unnamed.
