Three family members are now facing charges in connection with the 2015 disappearance of an 18-year-old North Carolina woman, more than a decade after she vanished without a trace.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that Sara Nicole Graham’s stepmother and two stepbrothers have been arrested in what had long been considered a cold case.
Graham was last seen in February 2015, leaving her home in Fairmont, North Carolina, on her way to work. She never arrived, and she has not been seen since. Her van was later found abandoned in a nearby field, but no further trace of her was ever located.
Stepmother Faces Murder Charge
Connie Graham, of Fairmont, has been charged with first-degree murder, along with counts of altering, stealing, or destroying criminal evidence and two counts of felony conspiracy. She was denied bond during her first court appearance on Thursday.
Her two sons, Bobby Matthew McLellan and Luke Locklear, both of Lumberton, are facing related charges.
McLellan was charged with accessory after the fact, felony conspiracy, and altering or destroying evidence. Locklear was charged with felony conspiracy and altering or destroying evidence. Both men are being held on a $1 million secured bond.
Sara Graham was the daughter of Hubert Graham, who worked as a Robeson County deputy at the time of her disappearance and now serves as chief of police in the nearby town of Rowland.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said the case was never truly closed, even during years when the public may have assumed investigators had given up.
He said his office’s homicide division and the FBI continued working behind the scenes since 2015 to build toward Thursday’s arrests.
Wilkins said pursuing justice for Sara became one of his top priorities when he took office in 2018, and he vowed the search would not end with these criminal charges. He said his department remains committed to locating her remains.
FBI Reward Still Active as Search Continues
Despite the arrests, investigators say Sara Graham’s body has not been recovered, and the FBI is continuing to offer a $5,000 reward for information leading to its location.
Authorities say no additional details about the case will be released publicly while the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Wilkins thanked the investigators, deputies, and federal partners who stayed committed to the case over more than a decade, saying their persistence brought the family closer to accountability even though years had passed.
He acknowledged that nothing can fully undo the loss felt by those who loved Sara, but said he hopes the arrests offer some measure of comfort to her family and community.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-671-3100 or the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office at 704-672-6100. Tips can also be submitted by phone to either agency as the investigation continues.
The case remains active, and authorities have not ruled out additional charges as evidence is reviewed further. Officials say the priority now shifts toward locating Graham’s body so her family can have some sense of closure after more than eleven years of uncertainty surrounding her disappearance.
