A Mount Olive man is facing one open count of murder and three counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle following a Jan. 5 shooting that left another Mount Olive man dead.

Tavoris Javon Mathis, 28, allegedly shot into a vehicle occupied by 33-year-old Anthony Fitzgerald Price while it was parked at a convenience store at 242 Franklin St.

On Jan. 7, Mathis turned himself in to Mount Olive Police officers at the Wayne County Magistrate’s Office in Goldsboro.

He was placed in the Wayne County Jail without privilege of bond.

During Tuesday night’s meeting of the Mount Olive Town Board, concerns were expressed that a working surveillance camera system would have benefited police in their investigation.

The town’s current camera system in not operational, but meetings will soon be held to correct that, town officials said.

“I want to thank the police department for an outstanding job in taking care of the murder,” Town Manager Jammie Royall said. “I also want to thank Commissioner (Delreese) Simmons because from what I hear he was in there helping.”

Simmons said he does want people to get the idea he has a badge on his shirt.

Simmons said he had not wanted to become involved, but did so when the Mathis family contacted him.

“I got pull into it because that family reached out to me and asked me to get their child that committed that murder and carry him in because they were scared he would get killed,” Simmons said. “I said you all turn him in. He won’t be killed.

“They reached out to me. Both of those families I know. So, I thank them for turning him in. I take no recognition. I give it to them (family) and those guys (police).”

Mount Olive police responded to a person being shot around 2:20 p.m. on Jan. 5 at the store.

When officers arrived they found Price in the passenger seat of a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds. No one else was in the car when the shooting occurred, Police Chief Jason Hughes said.

There is no indication that the shooting was random, he added at the time.

Wayne County EMS responded and pronounced Price dead at the scene.

The Mount Olive Police Department’s investigations division responded to the scene and began gathering information.

Following an extensive investigation, Mathis was developed as a suspect in the case, and warrants were obtained for his arrest, Hughes said.

No information has been released on the type of weapon used, whether it has been recovered and where Price was shot and how many times.

Police have not commented on whether the two men knew each other nor what the motive might have been.

There has been no information released as to what led police to Mathis.

Hughes said that information is not being released at present because it is an ongoing investigation.

The chief thanked the following agencies for the assistance provided during the course of the investigation, The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County EMS, Wayne County Emergency Dispatch and Mount Olive Fire Department.

Anyone with information about this case or other cases is encouraged to contact the Mount Olive Police Department at 919-658-5031, Hughes said.