Four men charged with murder are scheduled to appear during an administrative session of Beaufort County Superior Court on April 5.

Domonic Kidean Farrow, Arturo Lopez-Perez and Martel Deval Weston are charged with first-degree murder in the beating death of Bath resident Leonard Alfred Willson III on Oct. 7.

Willson, a paraplegic, had lived in Bath approximately 15 years. He could frequently be seen cycling in and around Bath on his recumbent handcycle.

Each defendant also is charged with first-degree burglary, felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree arson.

During an administrative session, the court may hear pending pretrial motions, set such motions for hearing on a date certain or defer ruling on motions until the trial of the case.

On Oct. 14, 2010, a search warrant was obtained and served at Lopez-Perez’s residence in Belhaven. At approximately 11 p.m., investigators learned that Lopez-Perez had been arrested by the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office for resist, delay, and obstructing a public officer. As a result of information collected during the investigation, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Jamie Cahoon obtained a warrant charging Lopez-Perez with murder.

Investigators then obtained a search warrant for the home and vehicle of a second suspect. On Oct. 15, deputies and investigators with the sheriff’s office served the search warrant and arrested Weston, who also was charged with murder.

On Oct. 25, 2010, Farrow was arrested by Cahoon with assistance from Hyde County probation and parole officers. Farrow was charged with murder.

As of Monday, Lopez-Perez, Weston and Farrow were in the Beaufort County Detention Center, each under a $1 million secured bond for the murder charge.

On Dec. 13, 2010. Beaufort County grand jury indicted the three men for murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree arson, armed robbery and felony larceny, with all charges stemming from the death of Willson.

An examination of court files show that an order granting Lopez-Perez’s defense team money to hire an investigator has been filed.

Gary Curtis Upton Jr. is charged with murder in the fatal shooting of his father, Gary Curtis Upton Sr. on Oct. 18, 2010. Originally, the younger Upton was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. That charge was dropped when the elder Upton died Oct. 20, 2010, resulting in the murder charge.

Upton was been transferred from the Beaufort County Detention Center to the N.C. Department of Correction “due to over population and mental health and security,” according to court records.

Attorney James K. Antinore of Greenville was appointed to represent Upton.