SALISBURY, N.C.-- Salisbury police said Sunday that two men arrested overnight for the murder of a Salisbury dentist had been pulled over by an officer early Thursday morning for a traffic violation  -- just hours before the dentist was found dead in his home. 

A co-worker found Dr. James David Boyd’s body Thursday after he didn’t show up at his office.  He was tied up with an electrical cord, and a preliminary autopsy showed Dr. Boyd was strangled to death.

Salisbury Police Chief Mark Wilhelm said the officer pulled over Jonathan Barnett, 18, and Christopher Boyd, 21, (no relation to Dr. Boyd) on Jake Alexander Boulevard around 4:30 am Thursday.  Chief Wilhelm said he believed the traffic stop happened before the murder. 

In the car with the two men during the traffic stop was 23-year-old Candice Drye – who police arrested for Dr. Boyd’s murder Thursday night.   Chief Wilhelm said once Drye was arrested, investigators suspected the other two men could also be connected to the murder.

Drye’s fiancée told WCNC Sunday that Drye was too drunk to have taken part in the crime.  Stephen Boyd is the father of Candice Drye’s three children.  He is also the brother of suspect Christopher Boyd and roommate of suspect Jonathan Barnett.

Stephen Boyd said he talked with Drye in jail Friday.  He said Drye told him she had drinks with Dr. Boyd Wednesday night at his home, and Dr. Boyd called Drye’s father to come get her because she was too drunk to drive.

Drye’s father called Stephen Boyd, whose mother picked Drye up near Dr. Boyd’s home.  Stephen Boyd, the fiancé, said Dr. Boyd stepped out onto his porch as Drye left.  Then Stephen Boyd said his mother took his fiancée to his brother Christopher’s home to sleep.

Stephen Boyd said later that night his brother, Barnett, and another friend woke Drye up and went for a drive.  Stephen Boyd said Drye told him she passed out in the truck and didn’t wake up until the men made an unexpected stop.

“She woke up and seen them running to the truck,” said Stephen Boyd.  “And I guess that's when she found out what went on.”  Boyd said the officer pulled them over right after the stop.

“They were all drunk,” said Boyd, “and I don't know why they didn’t get arrested then.”

Salisbury police said Jonathan Barnett’s mother turned him in for the murder Saturday night.  After interviewing Barnett, police executed a search warrant on a mobile home on Golf Ball Circle in Concord, where they found Christopher Boyd.

“About 3 a.m. I heard a boom,” said Myra Lopez, who lives in the same mobile home park.  “There was a man with a gun.”

Lopez said it was the Cabarrus County Special Response Team raiding her neighbor’s trailer. 

“A couple minutes later they came out with a boy -- arrested him and threw him in the back of a van," Lopez said.

Stephen Boyd admits his fiancée has an addiction to painkillers, which her family said she got from Dr. Boyd.  But he said she’s no murderer.

“I don't believe she would kill him over pills,” said Boyd.

Christopher Boyd and Jonathan Barnett are scheduled for court appearances Monday.   All three suspects are in the Rowan County Jail under no bond.