ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. -- The Rockingham County Sheriff's Office seeks leads to heat up two cold cases.
The unsolved murders involve William “Bill” Anthony Mills and James Shackleford.
The office said Mills and his dog were fatally shot November 23, 1989 inside his business/home that is the former 311 Radiator Shop on US Highway 311 in Madison.
“We really don't have a whole lot of information to go on," said Sheriff Sam Page.
Sheriff Sam Page investigated this case in 1989 before being elected sheriff nearly a decade later. He said Mills was a regular at the dirt race track, 311Speedway near the Rockingham County and Stokes County line and was well known in Madison.
“Mr. Mills had a lot of people in and out, he had a lot of people came out to his shop, they worked on cars, they worked on race cars,” he said.
Sheriff Page is convinced someone knows information about the murder to help close this case.
"I do believe and I've always believed that some people in the area possibly have that information, but have not come forward."
Mills case is the second oldest of five unsolved homicides in the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office. Another one involves James Shackleford who was murdered on June 4, 1998 inside his home on Spearman Road in southern Rockingham County.
"Was in his residence, bound with duct tape and smothered to death was the cause of death,” Sheriff Page said. “Victim of what appeared to be a robbery." With several items taken, "a gold chain with a flying eagle pendent, a telephone and a .44 caliber pistol and again not a lot of additional information."
The office exhausted all its leads in both cases now Sheriff Page asks the public to come forward.
"And to give the families closure, that they deserve."
The office urges anyone with information, no matter how insignificant about the murders, to call Rockingham County CRIMESTOPPERS at 336-349-9683 or the Sheriff's Office at 332-634-3232. Callers to CRIMESTOPPERS remain anonymous and can receive a cash reward for knowledge leading to an arrest.