Murder stuns community

For the past two years, dinnertime at the home of James and Brenda Holder often included one of the couple's closest friends.

[K Pulley]

This is so sad! However when I saw who it was that commited the crime I wasn't at all surprised. I've known Amanda Jean Russell (formerly known as Hicks)for several years now and she's known around town (Clayton) for being a really bad crackhead. She has two kids that she abandoned, and I've seen her several times over the past year parading around with that Hernandez guy. I can almost guarantee that the motive for the robbery was drugs, you can take one look at their mugshots and tell that they had been up for awhile!
If there's anyone capable of something this horrible it's Amanda Jean Hicks!

[Agree]

I would agree with you K. Pulley. I am one of her relatives and I believe that drugs and just plain sorriness got her where she is today. I will assure you, though that her children are very safe and well taken care of. They have no idea who she is now and hopefully never have to deal with her or her (still) husband who is in jail also for different unrelated charges. Neither one of them are the sharpest tools in the shed and they both have thrown their lives away to drugs and crime.

[John In North Carolina]

Hernandez = "ILLEGAL ALIEN"??? Just wondering if he is and we have another good tax paying citizen killed because of Mike " I LOVE "ILLEGAL ALIENS" & "ANCHOR BABIES" Easley and Big Head Ted Kennedy with his amnesty program he championed.

[Mesicana Americana]

John In North Carolina wrote:

Hernandez = "ILLEGAL ALIEN"??? Just wondering if he is and we have another good tax paying citizen killed because of Mike " I LOVE "ILLEGAL ALIENS" & "ANCHOR BABIES" Easley and Big Head Ted Kennedy with his amnesty program he championed.

You probably wake up and go to bed thinking about illegal aliens, you feel threatened or what. I happen to be Hernandez and my family has always been here in the good old USA. May God bless Ted Kennedy.
What about the woman crackhead ? Was she a "Whitey"? After all, there's plenty of crackheads in the Clan-Handle,right?
This is about a crime. To the victim and family, my respect and condolences.

[John In North Carolina]

You are exactly correct. I despise and detest "ILLEGAL ALIENS" and their "ANCHOR BABIES". I spread the word daily at every chance of the destruction they cause on this country. They are both a burden on the legal taxpaying citizens and legal taxpaying immigrants in this country. I feel the entire country is threatened by these invaders.

As far as "Big Head" Ted, it will be a grand day when the earth is rid of this "ILLEGAL ALIEN" lover.

Funny I never heard of a Native American Tribe named Herndandez since you have ALWAYS lived in the USA.

[Heather]

My heart goes out the McLamb family in their time of sorrow and need. As for Amanda "Russell" I personally was shocked. This was a girl that I grew up with and was my childhood best friend. Looking at all this now still seems surreal to me. My Mom said that it didnt shock her to read about Manda at all but unfortunatly it broke my heart. As for her children, I knew all of her family. They will be very well cared for and loved with many more opportunities than what she could give them. Just wanted to vent my feelings. If anyone from the Hicks' family is reading this my thoughts are with you as well as this is not your crime. Much love!

[Hicks]

Heather Thank you for your thoughtful comments. I am glad to see your life must have taken a completely different turn from Amanda's. You are correct to assume that her family will and are taking excellent care of her children, they are a precious gift. Unfortunately, Amanda has been on a downward spiral her entire life, even though she has been given every opportunity. She even has a college degree, but has chosen the path she walked down. HER family is DEVISTATED but I am sure we are not feeling the same pain that the McLamb family is feeling and our heart goes out to them for suffering this terrible senceless loss. Thank you again for you kind thoughts.

[Kristie]

I feel so bad for the mother. She has been through alot! My mother is good friends with her and this was the last thing she needed. I also feel for the lost of the loved one.My heart go out to you all!!!

[Someone who knows]

Don't feel bad for Amanda's mother if that's who you are referring to. She is as crazier than Amanda. Check the Clayton police log!
Thanks to the person who posted the kind words about the Hicks family. Amanda has put us through HELL! Thank God her kids are not with her (or her deadbeat husband Phillip; which by the way, he's in jail, too for a much lesser crime). There is no chance of them bothering the kids now; they are safe and very loved by their aunt and uncle.
Amanda was raised to believe that she could have ANYthing she wanted, WHEN she wanted it and look who that hurt; a poor old man. She's a MASTER manipulator and if justice is present in this world, she'll not get out of THIS charge like all of her past charges. I pray that prosecuters don't think she's a poor pitiful white girl who was influenced by the Mexicans! It could've been the other way around knowing her.

[Lynn]

Is there any updated information on this case? Have they been to court yet?

[Lynn]

Is there any updated information or how I could follow this trial?

[K Pulley]

I've heard that they are seeking the death penalty for Amanda's role in the murder. Her lawyer has been contacting people asking them to write an affidavit, or testify to positive things about Amanda. My husband and I just said, there isn't anything positive to say about her. I don't think she'll get the death penalty, since it doesn't sound like she swung the bat, at the old man's head, but if you read the reports about the warrants, you can see that she's the one who knew McLamb, and had been to his house on several other occasions. She also is the one who knew what he had there in his house, and led the boyfriend and mother there. In the report it also says that they stole the "boyfriend's" boss' truck to go to the crime scene, which makes it sound pre-meditated. It appears to me that Amanda set this whole thing up, and she's clearly in some serious trouble. Life in prison wouldn't surprise me at all, infact I'd say she deserves it!

[K Pulley]

Article about the warrants:
Recently-released search warrants reveal new details in the murder of a 62-year-old Johnston County man.
Bobby McLamb of N.C. 242 east of Dunn was found dead in the kitchen of his mobile home May 28 by his landlord and friend, Dean McLamb, no relation, sometime shortly before 8:24 a.m.
Three people were arrested in connection with the murder, Luis Angel Reyes Hernandez, 27, his mother, Nancy Hernandez, 48, and girlfriend, Amanda Jean Russell, 26, all of Tart's Labor Camp at Godwin Lake Road near Dunn.
All three have been charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree murder.
According to the warrants, dated June 4, Ms. Russell told detectives she and Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez had gone to Mr. McLamb's home in order to rob him.
The warrants mention nothing about the time of the murder or events leading up to it.
In the warrants, Ms. Russell told detectives she'd met Mr. McLamb before and had been to his home on prior occasions.
The warrants say Ms. Russell told detectives that prior to going to Mr. McLamb's home, Mr. Hernandez stole the truck of his boss, Douglas Tart, which they used for transportation to and from the crime scene.
Ms. Russell said she and Mrs. Hernandez initially went in the trailer alone and sat at the kitchen table with Mr. McLamb, who was sitting with his back to the door.
Shortly thereafter, Ms. Russell said, Mrs. Hernandez got up and let her son in the back door. After entering the house, Mr. Hernandez struck Mr. McLamb in the back of the head twice with an aluminum baseball bat he had brought with him.
Ms. Russell told detectives Mr. Hernandez and his mother then stole beer, money and guns from the home and the three of them left and went to a woman's home where they dropped off Mrs. Hernandez.
The warrants confirm earlier information reported in The Daily Record on how the murder was discovered, saying that the same woman, Beverly Dailey, no address provided, was the woman who called Dean McLamb to tell him she'd heard Bobby McLamb had been murdered.
Of that incident, the warrant says, Mrs. Dailey told investigators she had received a phone call from Ms. Hernandez, presumably the morning after the murder, saying her son had, "... called her and told her that he killed Bobby last night and that he needed someone to come pick him up."
The warrants go on to say that after dropping Ms. Hernandez off, Mr. Hernadez and Mrs. Russell returned to their room at Tart's Labor Camp and unloaded the truck, after which Mr. Hernandez left to return the truck.
Mr. Tart, the warrants say, reported an attempted theft of the 1997 Nissan truck the next morning around 10:56 after he found the truck stuck in a ditch across from his nearby work shop on Godwin Lake Road.
Mr. Tart told investigators Ms. Hernandez told him her son tried to take the truck sometime during the night. The truck was taken into evidence and a search revealed both fingerprints and blood stains.
The warrants, in addition to allowing detectives to collect DNA and hair samples from Ms. Hernandez and her son, also reveal that detectives took blood and fingerprint samples from the scene, a drinking glass, cigarette butts and bed sheets.
All three of the suspects remain in the Johnston County Jail under no bond. Their next court date is set for July 24.

[K Pulley]

Apparently they are seeking the death penalty for Amanda's role in the murder. If you read the report above, you can clearly see that she's the one who knew McLamb, and had visited with him on several other occasions. She's also the one who would know what he had in the house, to even rob him. The boyfriend stole his boss' truck to get to the crime scene, but how would they even know to single McLamb out without Amanda suggesting it. The whole things sounds pre-meditated, and primarily on Amanda's part. I don't think the DA will succeed in getting the death penalty, since Amanda didn't swing the bat, but life-in-prison sounds fair to me! Amanda's lawyer has been contacting anyone they can think of to say a positive word about Amanda, however my husband and I just told them, there's nothing good to tell!

[Amie Collins]

Does anyone know where or when they will hold this trial? I used to be friends with her in college.

[Amie Collins]

Lynn wrote:

Is there any updated information or how I could follow this trial?

when you find out any info would you please let me know

Amie Collins

[e-mail]

[John]

Mesicana Americana should dry his back off.

[Heather Guin]

Amie Collins wrote:

<quoted text>
when you find out any info would you please let me know
Amie Collins
[e-mail]

I would love to be able to follow this as well. Im having a hard time staying on top of this just with the internet alone.

[amie]

Heather Guin wrote:

<quoted text>
I would love to be able to follow this as well. Im having a hard time staying on top of this just with the internet alone.

trial will be october 5th at the johnston county court house in the am

[amie]

I also new here very well....and her husband. I had no idea what she was into. I lost touch with her years ago. I do remember that she had an evil side and like someone use to say to me.. "she is the devil" I thought he was joking but he kept telling me he saw the devil in her. She was not on drugs to my knowledge then