RAEFORD — Tillman Freeman III wore a bulletproof vest but showed little emotion at a first appearance hearing Monday morning in Hoke County District Court.

Freeman, 30, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He is accused of stabbing to death his two daughters, 4-day-old Genesis and 2-year-old Serenity.

Their bodies were discovered early Saturday about 200 yards into a woodline on Army Road, off N.C. 211 in Hoke County. They were in the back seat of Freeman's 1993 Toyota Camry.

Genesis was in Serenity's lap, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in the Hoke County Clerk of Court's office. A large knife was on the back seat beside the children, the affidavit said.

Freeman, whose hands and feet were shackled, spoke only when asked if he wanted a court-appointed lawyer, but he turned his head to look each time someone entered the courtroom.

He only reacted when James McGeachy, a friend of the family, entered the courtroom to take a seat. Freeman tried to mouth something to McGeachy, who did not respond.

James Hedgepeth Jr., a public defender, stepped toward Freeman and said, “Sir, please don’t discuss your case with anyone.’’

McGeachy said after the hearing that he came because he wanted to see if Freeman had any remorse about the deaths of the girls.

“He looked like he don’t care about what he did,’’ McGeachy said.

District Attorney Kristy Newton asked that Freeman continue to be held without bail, to which Judge Michael Stone agreed.

Freeman’s next court date is scheduled April 5.

Freeman wore the bulletproof vest because of threats made toward him on social media and in public comments.

“We didn’t want to take any chances because there’s been a lot of comments,’’ Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said. “As a law enforcement officer, we have an obligation to protect our prisoner.’’

Peterkin would not say whether Freeman was on a suicide watch or segregated from the jail population.

The affidavit listed the items lawmen found in Freeman's car. They included a blue child's shoe, a pink blanket, a pink baby hat, white and blue towels, a pink and gray diaper bag, two car seats and a partially full pack of Newport cigarettes.

More than 50 people attended a vigil Sunday at Seabrook Park on Langdon Street, near Fayetteville State University. They listened as Candice Freeman, the mother of the two girls, described what happened when the children disappeared on Friday and how police were able to get Freeman to reveal where the children were.

Family and friends have set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for the funerals and other expenses. The account, gofundme.com/mother-of-murdered-baby-girls, had raised more than $14,000 as of Monday afternoon. Candice Freeman also has a 5-year-old son, Ke’Shawn Smith.

Staff writer Nancy McCleary can be reached at mcclearyn@fayobserver.com or 486-3568.