AHOSKIE – An Ahoskie man stands charged with first degree murder stemming from a case where the operator of a moped was found dead along a Bertie County roadside last Saturday.

Ronald Dean Smallwood, 56, of Baker Street was arrested Tuesday at his residence, according to Bertie County Sheriff John Holley. He added that the Ahoskie Police made the arrest and immediately turned Smallwood over to Bertie authorities.

Smallwood is alleged to have shot and killed Daryl Silver sometimes after 9 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 19) on Center Grove Road, just off US 13 near Powellsville. Holley said Silver was in his 40’s, but his address is unknown.

“We were able to develop Mr. Smallwood as a suspect through our investigation, which was aided by agents with the SBI,” Holley said.

The Sheriff added that the motive for the murder remains under investigation and that additional arrests are pending as the probe continues.

He thanked his investigators, the Ahoskie Police, the SBI, and agents with the Down East Narcotics Task Force in making the arrest.

Investigation into the case began on Jan. 19 when the Bertie Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call for a possible motor vehicle accident involving a moped on Center Grove Road. The Powellsville Fire Department and Bertie County EMS responded along with the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office.

Upon the arrival of law enforcement investigators, it was quickly determined that Silver died from a gunshot wound rather than from injuries caused by a vehicle accident while operating his moped.