HIGH POINT, N.C. — A Lake City S.C. man accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child in their High Point apartment appeared in court Friday.
William J. Hayes III stood before a judge and the family of the deceased victim, 21-year-old Tontoria York, who police said was 9 months pregnant.
York's family packed the courtroom this afternoon visibly distraught and grief-stricken after losing a loved one and the baby they were expecting.
Hayes was brought in for his first appearance just after 2 o'clock, Friday.
Listen to Hayes' call to High Point 911:
He was wearing an orange jumpsuit and his hands and feet were bound in cuffs.
Moments before he came in, more than a dozen of Tontoria's family members, most of them from South Carolina, filed into the courtroom.
Guilford county's Judge Thomas Foster Jr. proceeded to read Hayes his rights and charges.
"You are charged with first-degree premeditated murder. That is a Class A felony which is punishable by death or life imprisonment. I am supposed to tell you that. I just did," said Judge Foster.
Police charged Hayes with killing York in their High Point apartment around 12:05 am Thursday.
After which Police said Hayes called 911 claiming he saw 2 men run from the apartment when he arrived home. Police also said Hayes was York's live-in boyfriend.
In the hearing which lasted only 5 minutes, Judge Foster said he would assign Hayes a court-appointed attorney.
After the hearing, some members of York's family were inconsolable in the lobby. Staff with the Guilford County Family Justice Center were there to provide support and comfort them.
Hayes' next court date is March 8th but for now, he will remain in the Guilford County jail without bond.