Raleigh murder suspect now charged in Morrisville rape case

A man accused of murdering a woman in a Raleigh hotel room last week is now charged with raping and robbing a woman in Morrisville hotel in late October.

Seaga Edward Gillard, 28, is named in arrest warrants that were issued Tuesday and say he had a handgun when he raped the woman Oct. 28 and stole her cell phone, wallet and an identification card.

The warrants also charged Gillard with first-degree kidnapping, first-degree forcible sexual offense and assault by strangulation. The warrants say Gillard wrapped a phone cord around the woman’s neck.

Morrisville police did not identify the hotel. They said they charged Gillard after a “cooperative investigative effort” with Raleigh police after Gillard’s arrest last weekend.

A magistrate set bail at $3 million on the new charges, but Gillard , who has given authorities no permanent address, was already being held without bail on the murder charge.

Raleigh police arrested Gillard last Saturday, accusing him of fatally shooting April Lynn Holland the day before in a room at the America’s Best Value Inn at 3921 Arrow Drive, off Blue Ridge Road near the Crabtree Valley Mall.

Dwayne Garvey, 28, was shot to death in the same room, police said.

Police are looking for Brandon Xavier Hill, 29, whom they also have charged with murder in the case.

Police chased a car in which Hill was a passenger Sunday, but he was able to escape on foot after that chase ended in Durham. They arrested the driver.

Detectives have asked anyone with information on the shootings or on Hill’s whereabouts to call CrimeStoppers at 919-834-HELP (4357) or to go to raleighcrimestoppers.org. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and cash rewards are paid for information that helps solve cases.

This story was originally published December 7, 2016 at 10:11 AM with the headline "Raleigh murder suspect now charged in Morrisville rape case."