CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte man pleaded guilty to the 1984 murders of a young mother and her 10-year-old son at a north Charlotte apartment complex, officials said.
James Thomas Pratt, who was arrested in connection with the killings in February, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the killing of 27-year-old Sarah Mobley Hall and her son, Derrick Mobley. The victims were found dead in Hall's north Charlotte apartment on March 14, 1984. Investigators said Hall was severely beaten and that both victims were strangled.
The plea and sentencing happened on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. Court documents show Pratt was sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison, with 30 years for each count of murder he faced.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said this was the first time in North Carolina that a murder was solved using familial DNA testing. That means investigators were able to match DNA from the crime scene with a relative to the suspect that's in the nationwide database. With help from the FBI, investigators were able to get Pratt's DNA and found a direct link to what was found in Hall's apartment.
Former FBI Agent M. Quentin Williams told WCNC Charlotte the public can change the tide in an investigation.
"The public is going to be the answer for cold cases, I'd say nine times out of 10," Williams said.
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