Mervin Scott Drye Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to second degree murder, armed robbery, and burglary.

The plea agreement was entered in Bladen County Superior Court minutes before a jury was to hear opening arguments in Drye's trial for first degree murder in the death of Mark Singletary.

Drye, who is 30, will serve from 216 to 229 years for second degree murder, first degree burglary, and armed robbery. He could have received a life sentence.

Under North Carolina's structured sentencing rules, Drye will likely get credit for two years and 11 months served in the Bladen County Jail awaiting trial.

His co-defendants in the case, Donald Simpson, Michael Lamont Lesane, and Jamie Ellison previously pleaded in the case.

According to a statement given by Assistant District Attorney Lee Bollinger before the sentencing, Drye and Simpson burst into the Singletary home on Oct. 9, 2000, with the intention of robbing Mark and Furnie Singletary Jr.

The defendants believed there was a quantity of cash in the house.

Drye and Simpson were both armed with handguns, and demanded money, but the Singletary brothers fought back. Both men fired at least one shot during the robbery.

Mark Singletary was shot through the groin, with the bullet nicking the femoral artery. He bled to death on the doorstep of a neighbor's home while trying to get help.

Simpson pleaded guilty Aug. 26, 2002, to second degree murder. He was sentenced to 180-220 months in prison, with judgement deferred on the armed robbery and burglary charges until after Drye's trial.

Ellison pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact. He received 96-125 months in jail.

Lesane also pleaded guilty to being an accessory, and received 120-153 months.

Jury selection in the case began Tuesday, and ended Wednesday morning. Opening arguments were set to begin Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m.

Superior Court Judge Gregory Weeks, after asking Drye a number of questions from a state-required list for plea agreements, repeatedly asked Drye and his attorney, Kevin Bullard, if Drye was completely informed about his decision.

"I don't want you coming back and saying you didn't understand something," Weeks said.

Drye answered each of the judge's questions with a simple yes or no. He only asked that one question be clarified.

Families of both the defendants and victims were present for the jury selection and sentencing. One member of Drye's family left as Judge Weeks read the details of the sentence under the plea agreement.

The case was originally set for trial in March, but attorney Gary Grady asked to be removed the day before deliberations began. He cited a conflict of interest.

Attorney Kevin Bullard of Whiteville represented Drye.

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