New search warrants issued by authorities in Durham, N.C. show that alleged cult leader Peter Moses and Vania Sisk are “directly involved in the murder of a juvenile and an adult,” NBC17.com reports:
Jadon Higganbothan, 6, and Antoinetta McKoy are both considered missing. Search warrants obtained Tuesday indicate authorities are treating the case as a missing persons and homicide investigation. […]
The warrants also showed officers recovered blood samples, bullets and bullet casings from a home on Pear Tree Lane. […]
In warrants obtained from the Teller County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado, a confidential informant said both Higganbothan and McKoy were killed in the home on separate occasions. The informant says Higganbothan was killed by Moses in October 2010, and the boy’s mother, Vania Sisk, allegedly killed McKoy.
According to search warrant affidavits filed in Colorado, Sisk and Moses were living there with several other adults identified by police as a group of Black Hebrew followers—African-Americans who believe themselves to be the true descendants of ancient Israelites—along with ten children. […]
A former member of Moses’ Black Hebrew group who “escaped” told Durham police that they were present when Moses killed Higganbothan in a house on Pear Tree Lane in Durham in October 2010. According to the affidavit, the informant said that Moses became angry at Jadon and called him down to the basement. The informant claimed they then heard loud music and a gunshot and later saw Moses place the boy’s body in a suitcase and hide it in the attic.
The informant also claimed that McKoy, another member of the Black Hebrew group, was shot and killed by Sisk in early February after an argument with Moses over lost car keys. According to the informant, Moses then helped Sisk remove the body from the house and bury it.
Neither body has been found, but according to the affidavit filed by Durham police last week, investigators found a fired bullet, shell casing, possible human blood and signs of “overt cleaning” in the areas of the Pear Tree Lane house where the informant claimed the murders occurred.
According to the Associated Press,
Police went to the house several times in February to inquire about McKoy. On one occasion, they found Moses hiding in a cabinet and arrested him on warrants charging him with carrying a concealed weapon, discharging a firearm within the city limits and writing a worthless check. He was released after posting $1,500 bond. […]
Nine children and several adults were in the seven-bedroom house, unpacking boxes, Teller County sheriff’s Sgt. Nick Olmsted said. The children were turned over to local child welfare officials and returned to North Carolina.
It was not clear whether they were still in the custody of the state. Child welfare officials in North Carolina wouldn’t talk about the case.
Colorado investigators also found Sisk at a local Wal-Mart, and told her they had an order from Durham child welfare officials to take custody of all the children. At that point, a women pointed angrily at Sisk and said: “We are losing all of our kids cause you don’t know where one of yours is.”
Meanwhile WRAL reports that Jadon Higganbothan;s father said Wednesday that he cannot understand that police believe his son was killed but haven’t charged anyone in his death:
“I feel like law enforcement is kind of dragging it along,” Higganbothan said. “They let both of them slip out from underneath their arms in the state of Colorado when they had an opportunity to keep them in custody.”
Sisk, Moses and others moved to Colorado Springs early this year, and Durham police asked Colorado authorities to check on Jadon’s whereabouts. Authorities put several other children in the Colorado Springs home into protective custody but couldn’t find Jadon.
Sisk later returned to Durham and met with investigators, telling them she left Jadon with an acquaintance on Feb. 20. Police have said her statements were inconsistent.
“They knew of (information about Jadon’s possible slaying) the time they apprehended her the first time. So, at that point is when they should have held her until they were physically able to put their hands on Jadon,” Higganbothan said.
Police have refused to comment on the investigation, but Higganbothan said investigators have told him that they have no idea where Sisk and Moses are.
“They are both wanted on separate charges, so I’m ready for some arrests to be made,” he said.