Six years ago, someone abducted the 5-year-old from her bus stop and killed her. Over the years since Locklear's death, detectives have worked hundreds of leads. The latest lead involves Keith Londeree, a former Fort Bragg civilian firefighter, who actually may have helped search for Locklear in the days after she disappeared.
"At this particular time, I don't want to name any particular person as a suspect in this murder," Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said.
After 12 years with the Fort Bragg Fire Department, Londeree is no longer on the job. He resigned six days after the bank robbery. The sheriff's office, as well as military police, searched his belongings out on Fort Bragg.
On July 29, a bank in Carthage was robbed by a man in a full chemical suit. The same day, police arrested 44-year-old Keith Londeree, a civilian firefighter at Fort Bragg. After Londeree's arrest, co-workers expressed concerns about pictures of Brittany Locklear he had in his locker. Investigators searched Londeree's locker and are looking to see if he could be at all connected to her murder.
Londeree resigned six days after the bank robbery. Authorities said Londeree had a clean record.
SBI agents who have worked the case say they do not think any lead has greater weight than any other right now, and they are no closer to making an arrest than they were six months ago. It is thought that the suspect is still on the run.
Peterkin said he is excited about the new lead, which he called "very promising." But at the same time, he said he does not want to send false hope to Locklear's family.
Londeree is being held in the Moore County Jail on those bank robbery charges. His bond is set at $150,000.
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