JACKSON — The bonds for the two men accused of beating and robbing an elderly woman have been increased after their first appearance in court here Monday.

According to Northampton County Sheriff Wardie P. Vincent, the bonds for Devin Scott Pallone, 18, of Rich Square and Justin Wade Treakle, 24, of Conway were upped to $400,000 cash each.

Vincent said the bonds were set after the district attorney requested their bail to be increased to that amount. Upon their arrest Thursday evening, the suspects’ initial bonds were set at $150,000 secured each.

Both men stand charged with attempted first degree murder, first degree kidnapping, malicious assault, assault by strangulation, attempted burning of personal property and assault on a female.

The charges stem from a report of an assault last Thursday after the 75-year-old victim called into dispatch at approximately 1 a.m. to report she had been beaten.

Sheriff’s Deputy Jimmy Bracy responded to the victim’s home located on Dusty Hill Road near Conway where he found the victim with a laceration on her head.

Bracy summoned EMS to the scene to care for the victim. After interviewing the woman, the deputy discovered she had been approached by a young male, reportedly Pallone, she knew while at her clothes line in the yard. Sheriff Vincent confirmed on Monday that Treakle had been renting a residence from the victim.

At some point the victim felt something hit her head and she fell. The suspect then attempted to choke her and she passed out.

When the victim awoke she was in the trunk of her car. Vincent said woman was able to pull the emergency cables to release the trunk lid and then proceeded to crawl to her home where she called for help.

The victim’s home was ransacked and items were taken, including money. Vincent said on Friday that robbery was believed to be the motive for the crime.

During their investigation of the scene, officers also discovered gasoline had been poured around the same vehicle the victim had been placed in while unconscious. That later led investigators to charge the two suspects with attempted murder.

The victim was taken to Roanoke-Chowan Hospital and then transported to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville. Vincent said late Thursday she was responding well to treatment.

More warrants are pending on the two suspects. On Monday, Vincent said the case is still being “looked into.”

“It’s still unfolding,” he said.

Both men are not strangers to local law enforcement.

According to the North Carolina Department of Corrections (NCDOC), a few years ago Treakle served an active prison sentence for taking indecent liberties with a child in Hertford County.

According to a story published in the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Pallone was arrested in February for bringing a gun onto the campus of Northampton County High School-East. According to NCDOC, he received probation for possession/carry BB gun/rifle on educational property and altered serial number.