Man Accused in Fatal N.C. Boat Attack Previously Sued Kellie Pickler

tmz reported on September 28, 2025, that the man arrested for allegedly killing three people in a North Carolina boat attack had filed a lawsuit against singer Kellie Pickler earlier in the year. The man, identified as Nigel Edge, was arrested Saturday night after allegedly opening fire from a boat on a waterfront restaurant in Southport. In a lawsuit filed in February, Edge claimed Pickler tried to poison him with a glass of Jim Beam whiskey when they attended the 2012 CMT Music Awards together.

The suspect was known as Sgt. Sean DeBevoise when he attended the awards show with Pickler as her date, having met at a charity event. He legally changed his name in 2023. Edge is a combat veteran who was wounded during service in Iraq. He now faces multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree murder, and is being held without bail.