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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

 


<         Thieves hate bright lights.  Install outside lights and keep them on at night.

 

<         If you travel, create the illusion that you’re home by getting some timers that will turn lights on and off in different areas of your house throughout the evening.  Lights burning 24 hours a day signal an empty house.

 

<         Leave shades, blinds and curtains in normal position.  Don’t let your mail or newspapers pile up!  Call the post office to stop delivery or have a neighbor pick it up.

 

<         Make a list of your valuables - VCR’s, stereos, computers, jewelry, etc.  Take photos of the items and keep serial numbers and descriptions in a safe place.

 

 

CHECK THE DOORS

 


 

<         All outside doors should be metal or wood.

 

<         If doors don’t fit tightly in their frames, install weather stripping around them.

 

<         Install a peephole or wide-angle viewer in all entry doors so you can see who is outside without opening the door.  Door chains break easily and don’t keep intruders out.

 

 

CHECK THE LOCKS

 


 

<         Make sure every external door has a sturdy, well-stalled dead bolt lock.

 

<         Sliding glass doors can offer east access if they are not properly secured.  You can secure them by installing commercially available locks or putting a broomstick or dowel in the inside track.

 

<         Make sure windows have good quality locks that operate correctly.

 

<         Instead of hiding keys around the outside of your home, give an extra key to a neighbor that you trust.

 

<         When you move into a new house or apartment, re-key the locks.

 

 

CONSIDER AN ALARM

 


 

<         Alarms can be a good investment, especially if you have many valuables in your home or live in an isolated area or one with a history of break-ins.

 

<         Check with several companies before you buy so you can decide what level of security fits your needs.  Do business with an established company and check references before signing a contract.

 

<         Learn how to use your system properly.  Don’t “cry wolf” by setting off false alarms. 

 

<         Some less expensive options - a sound-detecting socket that plugs into a light fixture and makes the lights flash when it detects certain noises, motion sensing outdoor lights that turn on when someone approaches, or lights with photo cells that turn on when it’s dark and off when it’s light.

 

 

 

BURGLARS DO MORE THAN STEAL

 

 

<         Burglars may commit violent crimes if they are surprised by someone coming home or if they pick a home that is occupied.

 

<         If something looks questionable (a torn screen, a broken window, open window, etc.) don’t go in.  Call the police from a neighbor’s house or public phone.

 

<         Guns are responsible for many accidental deaths in the home every year.  Think carefully before buying a gun or keeping weapons in the home.    If you do own one, learn how to store it and use it safely.

 

 

 

If you have questions or would like more information on safety or crime prevention, please contact Captain Curtis Main at (828) 268-6900