Candice Drye

SALISBURY, N.C. -- A 23-year-old woman has been arrested for the murder of a prominent Salisbury dentist, who was found dead Thursday inside his country club home.

Salisbury police say Candice Jo Drye of Mocksville, N.C., has been charged with the murder of 47-year-old David Boyd. She was arrested between 10 and 11 p.m. Thursday night.

Drye was being held without bond. Her first court appearance was scheduled for noon.

Police say Drye was an acquaintance of Boyd's; a motive and cause of death have not yet been released.

Woman accused of dentist's murder

Boyd was found dead on Thursday morning after his employee became suspicious when he didn't show up to work. Police now say Boyd was found in his bed, sill under the covers, with his hand and feet bound.

"Employee of his came over … They went in and checked on him and found him," said Salisbury Police Chief Mark Wilhelm.

Boyd's body is now in Charlotte for an autopsy; police said there were no obvious signs of trauma.

He lived in the picturesque Country Club of Salisbury community.

"Close knit, everybody knows everybody," said neighbor Lynn Bertram. "You take your walk at night so you can see your neighbors."

Boyd's wife, also a dentist, their twin 10-year-old boys and 13-year-old daughter were at the beach when police called them. Boyd had been with his family until Tuesday when he came back for work.

"Young children, active in the community, active in their schools, very professional," said Bertram.

Police were standing guard at Boyd's office Thursday until officers could get inside to search it.

"Anything that could potentially tell us, maybe an appointment he might have had or a meeting scheduled for later after work at his residence," Wilhelm said. "Anything like that. There might be some documentation at the office that would indicate somebody's scheduled to be here."

Boyd's sister told WCNC the family thought Boyd surprised burglars at the house, but police said it didn't look like a robbery.

"There is no indication of any forced entry," Wilhelm said. "There does not appear to be anything outwardly that you would see when you walk in, missing."

That has neighbors wondering what really happened to the prominent dentist.

"He was well-known and well-liked," Bertram said.

(WCNC's Michelle Boudin, Alex Reed and Richard DeVayne contributed to this report.)