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Suspect in elderly Statesville man's slaying makes first court appearance

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Law enforcement in Iredell County announced an arrest last week more than a year after an elderly man was found shot to death inside his Statesville home.

Hugh Lee Moose, 80, was shot and killed Jan. 10, 2017 inside his house on Shiloh Road.

[PHOTOS: Death investigation in Iredell County]

Deputies said on Thursday that the suspect, 31-year-old Mark Pinkerton, was arrested in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

Pinkerton was brought back to North Carolina Saturday and made his first appearance in court on Monday. Officials said robbery was a motive in the slaying.

Pinkerton stood before a judge for only a few minutes on Monday in the Iredell County courthouse.

Authorities said a break in the case came when an eyewitness told law enforcement that Pinkerton asked him to join him in robbing Moose.

Investigators said Pinkerton came to Iredell County last January to visit family. When he learned that Moose had money, he allegedly went to his home, forced his way inside and robbed and killed the Statesville business owner.

Deputies said they received a dropped 911 call on the night of Moose's death from a cell phone inside the home.

Law enforcement responded to the home after they couldn’t reach the caller. They entered the house through a broken glass door and found Moose’s body.

Investigators also found damage to a sliding glass door of Moose’s home.

Past coverage:

Authorities released a composite sketch shortly after the slaying of a man who they said was seen in the area before the homicide. He was seen walking away from the area of Moose’s home within minutes of the first 911 call, they said.

Krystal Moose said her grandfather was the type of man who would do anything to help his family.

"He wanted to take care of his family and the people around him,” Krystal Moose said.

She told Channel 9 that her grandfather owned Hugh's Sheet Metal for years and was well-known in the community.

Channel 9 learned that the witness who helped lead authorities to Pinkerton declined to take part in the robbery.

Investigators said that Pinkerton not only confessed to the murder but also told authorities where to find the murder weapon.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Pinkerton could face the death penalty or life in prison.

Moose's family said they don't even want to see Pinkerton in court, they just want to see him in prison.

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