Eric Horton Sr., a 35-year-old Greenville, North Carolina, rapper known as Eazy-Roc, was shot and killed on the evening of December 28, 2025, along Martin Luther King Jr. Highway in Pitt County. The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office is treating the shooting of Eric Horton Sr. as a targeted homicide, and as of early January 2026, no arrests had been made.
What Happened on Martin Luther King Jr. Highway
Deputies responded around 8:25 p.m. on Sunday, December 28, 2025, to a report of a man with gunshot wounds in a ditch near 5100 Martin Luther King Jr. Highway, close to Old Creek Road north of Greenville.1The Daily Reflector. Homicide Investigation Underway as Man Found in Ditch Dies They found Horton with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite rescue efforts.2WCTI12. Man Found Shot in Ditch Identified, Pitt County Deputies Investigate Homicide
Investigators determined Horton had been walking along the eastbound lanes when he was shot at least twice. Sheriff Paula Dance said evidence indicated the gunfire came from a vehicle, and deputies recovered five shell casings at the scene. Dance described the shooting as an “isolated, targeted case” and said there was no ongoing threat to the public.3WITN. Deputies Investigating Pitt County Murder After Man Found Shot in Ditch
Where the Investigation Stands
The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Forensic Services Unit are leading the case. Detectives are reviewing a phone call Horton made shortly before 8:10 p.m. the night he died, along with several other calls he placed before the shooting.4WCTI12. Investigators Continue Probe Into Pitt County Murder of Local Rapper Eric Horton Sr Authorities asked the public for information about any suspicious activity in the area between 8:00 and 8:15 p.m. that evening.1The Daily Reflector. Homicide Investigation Underway as Man Found in Ditch Dies
Dance also confirmed detectives were examining a social media post Horton made less than two weeks before his death, though she said investigators were “still determining if there is any link” between the post and the shooting.4WCTI12. Investigators Continue Probe Into Pitt County Murder of Local Rapper Eric Horton Sr The content of the post has not been publicly disclosed. As of December 30, 2025, no suspects had been named.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information to contact Detective Jordan at 252-902-2158 or Pitt-Greenville Crime Stoppers at 252-758-7777. Tips leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.2WCTI12. Man Found Shot in Ditch Identified, Pitt County Deputies Investigate Homicide
Who Eric Horton Sr. Was
Horton, whose full name was Eric Ramone Horton Sr., lived in Greenville and was a father of four.5The Daily Reflector. Update: Man Found in Ditch Shot at Least Two Times, Sheriff’s Office Says He was pursuing a music career as a rapper under the stage name Eazy-Roc.4WCTI12. Investigators Continue Probe Into Pitt County Murder of Local Rapper Eric Horton Sr His former partner Tanisha Oates, the mother of their five-year-old daughter, spoke publicly about his death in an interview published January 5, 2026, describing the difficulty of explaining the loss to their young child.6WNCT. Exclusive: Former Partner of Eric Horton Sr Speaks Out After His Tragic Death