SHELBY, N.C. -- Detectives are trying to connect a man charged in a 2003 murder to two additional murders that happened that year.
Donald Eugene Borders was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree rape, breaking and entering and murder in connection with the death of 76-year-old Margaret Tessneer.
Tessneer was found dead in her Railroad Avenue home in Shelby in 2003. Between August and November of that same year, two other women were found dead in their beds under similar circumstances.
Now, a niece of one of the victims says she hopes Borders will be charged in her aunt's death.
"Every night I pray before I go to bed, 'God, please let them find whoever done that.' I know it's been a lot of years," said Becky Fisher. "I thought maybe if they ever found out who murdered Miss Tessneer, maybe it would be the same one that murdered Aunt Lottie and the other lady."
Detectives say they're working to connect Borders to the deaths of Becky's 85-year-old aunt, Lottie Ledford and a third woman, 87-year-old Lillian Mullinax.
"I believe it's the same person," Fisher said of the killer.
All three women lived alone within two miles of each other. In each case, the victim's phone line was cut, and each victim was found dead in a bed.
Borders made his first appearance in court Tuesday. His relatives say they don't believe the charges.
"He says he's innocent, and as far as we're concerned he's innocent until proven guilty," said Taft Borders, the suspect's uncle.
Meanwhile, Fisher says she still remembers finding her aunt's body.
"The house was pitch dark. I went to open the door, and it was cracked open," Fisher said. "Cold shivers goes through me right now even talking about it."
But Fisher has one memory she is glad to hang on to.
"She was a very loving person, Aunt Lottie was. She told me, 'Becky, I love you.' I said, 'Aunt Lottie, I love you, too.' That's the last words she spoke to me," Fisher said. "I'll always carry that until the day I die."
Borders was given a court-appointed attorney during the hearing on Tuesday. He remains in jail without bond.
