First Posted: 1/15/2009

Staff report
LUMBERTON - Sheriff's detectives are investigating two home invasions that they say were likely committed by the same gunmen, sheriff's Detective Lt. Howard Branch said.
Four or five gunmen wearing hooded red jackets broke into Letisha Barton's N.C. 211 home about 11:15 p.m. Friday and stole $5,000 cash and nearly $2,000 in jewelry.
Barton said she was blow drying her hair in the bathroom when the men entered her home and threatened her with guns. Barton was not injured.
Shortly before that, several gunmen reportedly broke into 24-year-old Heather Oxendine's home and assaulted her. Oxendine said a man with a gun struck her in the face while several others searched her N.C. 72 West home.
Oxendine was not seriously injured. Nothing was reported stolen in that break-in.