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Release
Date: 12/31/2008
After a waiver of extradition, John Richard Gray, suspect in
the killing of Jimmy Roberts, was brought back to Watauga County. State Bureau of Investigation agents and a Boone Police
Investigator transported Gray from Illinois to Watauga County on 12/31/08. He was taken before a magistrate who ordered
him held without bond. Grey was then
given a March 30 2009 court date in district court.
Release
Date: 12/25/2008
The standoff
with the Jimmy Roberts murder suspect in Illinois has been resolved.
John Gray, suspect in the murder of Jimmy Roberts, surrendered and has been taken into custody by Illinois authorities. Arrangements will be made for his extradition to North Carolina to face the murder charge, as well as other possible charges.
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The vehicle stolen in the Monday December 22 murder of Jimmy Roberts has been located.
Roberts’ 2005
Chevrolet pickup was located by authorities in Mendota, IL early this
morning. A subsequent search by
Illinois authorities has likely located the suspect, John Gray, in an area
hotel. Illinois State Police have
secured the area and are attempting to negotiate with Gray for his surrender.
Additional
information will be released as it becomes available.
Release Date: 12/23/2008
Boone Police are
investigating the murder of a local businessman, Jimmy Roberts.
At approximately
8:30 p.m. on December 22, Boone Police were called to check on the welfare of
Roberts, age 40, after he didn’t come home from his job. He worked at Gold and Closeout Connection
pawn at 499 E King Street in Boone.
Boone Police with the assistance of the Boone Fire Department made
entrance to the locked business and found Roberts deceased from a gunshot
wound. Roberts’ vehicle was discovered
missing and items had been taken from the store.
Investigation by
Boone Police and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation led to murder
charges on a suspect. Police are
searching for John Richard Gray age 28 of Virginia Beach. Gray is documented to have used various
aliases such as “John Creasman”, “John Spiker”, and “Brian Simms” and has traveled between Florida, North Carolina,
Virginia, and Tennessee. Gray is
believed to have left the area driving the victim’s vehicle, a 2005 Chevrolet
Silverado extended cab pickup. The
truck is pewter in color, displaying the North Carolina truck tag 4659AT, and
is marked with the company name “Yard Art”.
Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of John Gray is asked to contact their nearest law enforcement agency or the Boone Police Department at 828-268-6900.
John Gray
Release
Date: 12/12/2008
The Investigation Division of the Boone Police Department reports
the arrest of Chance Rann Hampton; age 29, of Boone. Mr. Hampton has been charged in connection with the break-ins at
both Boone Drug at Deerfield and Boone Drug at New Market Centre that occurred
on December 3rd, 2008.
Mr. Hampton was charged with two counts of the felony offense of
(1) Breaking and/or Entering, two counts of (1) Felony Larceny and two counts
for the misdemeanor offense of (1) Injury To Real Property. Boone Detectives were alerted to Mr.
Hampton’s involvement after an arrest by the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office in
which Mr. Hampton had been in possession of several items, which linked him to
the Boone Drug break-in.
Mr. Hampton was
brought before the Watauga County Magistrate and placed under a $15,000.00
secured bond with a court date scheduled for January 30th, 2009.
Release
Date: 12/10/2008
Boone Police
have charged a Boone man with charges related to the writing and cashing of
several large worthless checks to area banks.
John Daniel Cook
III, age 26 of Boone, was charged on Tuesday December 9th with three counts of felony obtain
property by false pretense. Cook is
alleged to have opened accounts at area banks then cashed checks that were
later returned as having been drawn on a closed account.
Cook was taken before a Watauga County magistrate before being released on a $5,000 unsecured bond with a January 13 2009 court date.
Release
Date: 11/26/2008
Boone Police
have charged a Boone man in connection with a strong armed robbery that
occurred this morning.
On Wednesday
November 26 at approximately 9:30 a.m. officers responded to a 911 caller
reporting a robbery on Hill Street. The
caller stated a man had forced his way into his apartment then ordered the
victim to go into his bedroom and remain there. The victim emerged from the room to find his flat screen
television gone and called police.
A short time
later a man was observed by a Boone Police investigator emerging from the woods
near the scene. The man ran from
investigators, who pursued him on foot through AppSouth apartments toward the
ASU convocation center. Boone Police,
Watauga County Sheriff’s deputies, and ASU Police assisted in the pursuit and
the man was apprehended by ASU Police outside the convocation center.
The suspect was identified as Shon Donte Ramseur, age 22, of Boone and Statesville. Ramseur was charged with felony common law robbery, felony breaking and entering, felony second degree kidnapping, and resisting, obstructing, or delaying a law enforcement officer. Ramseur was held on a $40,000 secured bond and has a December 15 court date.
Release
Date: 11/19/2008
The
Investigation Division of the Boone Police Department report the arrest of
Belinda Norris, age 50, of Boone. Ms.
Norris was charged with the felony offense of Embezzlement after an
investigation into missing money at the T.J. Maxx located at the Boone Mall
where she had been employed. Ms.
Norris was brought before the Watauga County Magistrate and placed on a
$2000.00 bond with a court date of January 13th, 2009.
Release
Date: 11/07/2008
The Investigation Division of the Boone Police Department reports
the arrest of 17 year old, Derek Wesley Scism of Boone. Mr. Scism has been charged with the felony
of Second Degree Sexual Offense. This
is based on an investigation into an assault that occurred on October 3rd at the Fairfield Inn and Suites
after an underage alcohol related gathering.
This is the third arrest from this incident with the co-defendants
Mariah Kennedy and Robert Kennedy having been charged earlier in the month.
Mr. Scism was
taken before the Watauga County Magistrate and placed on a $20,000.00 bond with
a court date scheduled for November 17th,
2008 in Watauga County District Court.
Release
Date: 10/30/2008
The
Investigation Division of the Boone Police Department report the arrests of
Mariah Danielle Kennedy, age 17 and Robert Franklin Kennedy Jr., age 19; both
of Boone. Both Mariah Kennedy and
Robert Kennedy have been charged with the felony of Second Degree Sexual
Offense. This is based on an investigation
into an assault that occurred on October 3rd at the Fairfield Inn
and Suites after an underage alcohol related gathering.
Both
Mariah Kennedy and Robert Kennedy were taken before the Watauga County
Magistrate and placed on a $20,000.00 bond with a court date scheduled for
November 17th, 2008 in Watauga County District Court.
Release
Date: 10/30/2008
The Investigation Division
of the Boone Police Department reports the arrest of Daniel Fitzgerald Bennett,
age 22 of Boone. Mr. Bennett was
charged with the felony of Embezzlement based on an investigation at McDonalds
in Boone from July of 2008. Mr. Bennett
was taken before the Watauga County Magistrate and placed on a $3000.00 bond
with a court date scheduled for December 2nd, 2008 in Watauga County
District Court.
LEAVING
FOR THE HOLIDAYS?
Is Your Home Secure?
The Boone Police
Department would like to give you some information on how you can make
your home or apartment more secure.
Last year, approximately 35% of the breaking and enterings in Boone were
to personal residences. We at the Boone
Police Department are committed to making Boone a safer place to work,
attend school and live. The following
are what we feel are helpful tips to lessen the chances for homeowners becoming
victims:
CHECK THE OUTSIDE