New Jersey man charged with murder after Durham woman found dead on Sunday
Durham police have arrested and charged a New Jersey man with murder in the death of 29-year-old Nicole Bullock of Durham.
Shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a reported cardiac arrest in the 300 block of Residence Inn Blvd. according to a Durham Police Department news release.
They found a woman who was dead and determined the death was likely a homicide.
On Monday, police announced Rodney Crawford, 33, of Jersey City, New Jersey, had been charged with murder and that more charges were pending.
Crawford was on probation at the time of his arrest, after being convicted last year on charges of assault by strangulation, assault inflicting serious bodily injury, and breaking and entering with intent to terrorize or injure, according to N.C. Department of Adult Correction records.
In 2014, The Jersey Journal reported Crawford was accused of beating his ex-girlfriend while her 5-month-old child lay next to her. Police said Crawford had used his house keys to enter her house and punched the woman several times. He was charged with simple assault, criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child in Jersey City.
Crawford is currently being held without bail at the Durham County jail.
Police have not said how Bullock died, how Crawford and Bullock may have known each other, or why he might have killed her.
10th Durham homicide this year
This is at least the 10th homicide in Durham this year.
As of Feb. 25, there had been eight criminal homicides in Durham this year, up from five each during the same period in 2022 and 2021.
Anyone with information about Sunday’s shooting is asked to call Investigator J. Rodriguez at 919-560-4440, ext. 29285, or CrimeStoppers at 919-683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards of up to $2,000 for information leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers never have to identify themselves.
This story was originally published March 5, 2023 at 11:41 AM with the headline "New Jersey man charged with murder after Durham woman found dead on Sunday."
