The suspect in a 2022 murder was out on bond when he was arrested on drug charges Sept. 9, according to court records.
Xavier Antonio Rayquan Thomas, 24, was arrested Sept. 9 on charges of felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor marijuana. He was ordered held under $250,000 secured bond, according to detention center reports. His address was listed as 24328 Peacock Rd., Tabor City.
At the time, he was out on $400,000 secured bond for the murder of Julian Fipps. In a hearing this morning (Sept. 12), Superior Court Judge C. Ashley Gore ordered Thomas held without bond this morning.
Thomas was arrested Jan. 16, 2023 for the Jan. 9, 2023 murder of Fipps. The victim’s body was found in an overturned Jeep, riddled with bullet holes, on M.M. Ray Road. He was arrested in South Carolina with the assistance of Horry County Police. Whiteville Police and the Brunswick Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the investigation.
The murder case made headlines again in 2024 when evidence photos were released by unknown persons and were shared on social media. The photos led District Attorney jon David and Sheriff Bill Rogers to issue a joint statement condemning the publishing of the photos, which included crime scene pictures of Fipps’ body in the vehicle. The person who posted the photos also shared an email between a CCSO investigator and the FBI, and telephone logs that he claimed showed Thomas is not guilty of the killing.
“The evidence that was recklessly exposed on social media was of a very sensitive nature and is very hurtful to the victim’s family,” David and Rogers said in the statement. “The idea that someone would post this information for their own benefit and to increase viewership of their social media site is sickening and reflects the true motivations of the author.”
Thomas’ attorney at the time, J.B. Lee, refused comment on how the evidence photos, email and log released. Lee withdrew as Thomas’ counsel earlier this year.
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