I have compiled what I believe to the 10 most captivating local crime stories of the last year. These are the stories that got our readership talking. No. 2: “Guilty”   At the close of a trial five years in the making, an Onslow County jury found Carolyn Futrell guilty of manslaughter in April in [...]

I have compiled what I believe to the 10 most captivating local crime stories of the last year. These are the stories that got our readership talking. No. 3: “Cold Case Homicide” A true learning process for me, the newspaper’s series of articles on unsolved homicides in Onslow County and surrounding areas can only be called a [...]

I have compiled what I believe to the 10 most captivating local crime stories of the last year. These are the stories that got our readership talking. No. 4: “I think his name was Mike” Jacksonville police found themselves in the middle of a real whodunit this past summer when store employees found the eviscerated [...]

I have compiled what I believe to the 10 most captivating local crime stories of the last year. These are the stories that got our readership talking. No. 5: “everyday heroes” Smoke from a forest fire aboard Camp Lejeune clouded U.S. 17 on an early morning in mid-June. Motorists wrecked and authorities responded. Everything was routine. [...]

I have compiled what I believe to the 10 most captivating local crime stories of the last year. These are the stories that got our readership talking. No. 6: “You’ll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.” In May, the Sheriff’s Department invited the local news media to a raid at Club Mickey’s out on [...]

I have compiled what I believe to the 10 most captivating local crime stories of the last year. These are the stories that got our readership talking. No. 7: “in the public eye” “Delma wants Frank to bow before him and kiss his ring.” -Former County Commissioner Martin Aragona Jr. 2008 saw several public figures [...]

I have compiled what I believe to the 10 most captivating crime stories of the last year. These are the stories that got our readership talking. No. 8: “Active shooter” On Easter Sunday, an employee tired of being picked on by coworkers, smuggled a sawed-off shotgun into the Yopp Road Wal-Mart and shot up the break [...]

I have compiled what I believe to the 10 most captivating crime stories of the last year. These are the stories that got our readership talking. No. 9: “Odog” Several women who would come forward later said Camp Lejeune Marine Staff Sgt. Chris Oden had a talent for charm and getting what he wanted. Investigative [...]

This past year was an interesting year to live (and die) in Onslow County. When Jan. 1, 2008, rolled around, I was just wrapping up a story about a man accused of shooting a popular dee-jay in a local nightclub. I had been a reporter for a couple of years and the crime reporter at [...]

Mike McHugh swung by 103 Meadow Trail and snapped this shot of the legal notice taped to the front door: The property will be auctioned off Monday on the courthouse steps. Bidding starts at one penny. Mike described the property this way: “The grass is high and unkept. The swimming pool is still in the backyard and [...]

An Onslow County deputy had to shoot a pit bull that attacked him this morning. Read the article here. I have no idea what the pit bull looked like, but here is a random crazy photo of one I found on the Web:  

Most stories run dry with new information after two articles. That has definately not been the case with Marine Staff Sgt. Chris Oden who has a paper trail a mile long and a line of former lovers and alleged victims ready to sing. Read the latest here. Oden is innocent until proven guilty, of course, but I have spoken [...]

Saturday and Sunday I got  chance to do some leveling. Most of you don’t have a clue about Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games, but they are the wave of the future. They are several good ones out there. Star Wars: Galaxies was my favorite for two years. I have played Dungeons and Dragons: Stormreach, City [...]

20-year-old Rashad Ford stayed in Jacksonville when his family moved in 1999 because he was determined to make it on his own. He was shot in the back during a home invasion a short time later. Read the article here. As his sister told me, Rashad was no saint, but he wasn’t a bad guy [...]

Too much mustard with my meal? No, just some jerk with half the facts and an Internet connection. I arrived home this morning and found a present better left unwrapped - another deeply disturbed, massively jealous former fan out to get me. Ghost of Christmas Past put a lot of effort into shining a spotlight into a few dark corners [...]

We are getting ready to pull out for Christmas. I will be unplugged until the 26th. Y’all try to stay out of trouble. For any would be burglars, the alarm is on, the neighbors are watching and I may have the house rigged with a booby trap or two… I have a story in the [...]

Daily News reporter Amanda Hickey showed skill and ability in covering this weekend’s tragic story about a Camp Lejeune Marine accused of bashing his wife’s skull in with a hammer. Amanda found the arrest warrant early Saturday that enabled the newspaper to post an Internet article about the sad situation before the Sheriff’s Department sent out any information. She [...]

A Camp Lejeune Marine was charged with beating his wife half to death with a hammer Saturday. Amanda Hickey covered this story as well. Read her article here. A comment poster claiming to be the victim’s uncle from Ohio says Erin Gould is pregneant. I haven’t verified that yet. Mike pulled this wedding photo of the [...]

My first day on Christmas vacation and the Sheriff’s Department busts a meth lab. Amanda Hickey did the story. Hey Amanda, you know these guys? Seems like every time she writes a crime story she knows the accused… Read it here. My in-laws are in town and they are watching my five kids while the [...]

For those of you who have been speculating about and timelining the events immediately before and after the death of Maria Lauterbach, Cecil Jones will become very important to you. He found Maria’s cell phone on the side of the road allowing detectives to piece together a very important corner of the puzzle. The way [...]

We are coming up on  the anniversary of when I first heard her name. At the time, all we had was a name. Like Mike always says, “it starts with a name.” In the beginning there was a lot of talk about whether her photo was newsworthy. Proponents on both sides made good points. I [...]

Mike and I are getting better and better at following paper trails. The ladies at the various downtown offices should be getting to know us pretty well by now. For instance, here is an article which sheds more light on an earlier story about a Camp Lejeune Marine charged with getting teenage girls drunk at a party, [...]

The Daily News has posted an artcle about the JPD charging five folks – including three Marines - in connection to two recent hotel hold-ups. Read it here. Two of them tried to rob a hotel but couldn’t get through the front door even after blasting it with guns. I couldn’t make this stuff up…

Sheriff’s Sgt. John Getty has been very busy lately. As I slowed down myself enough to post tonight I found that two of biggest stories I have written this week involved Getty arresting the bad guy. (Alleged bad guy in one case. The other guy pleaded guilty and is on his way to Central Prison). First [...]

A drainage ditch dispute led a man to kill his neighbor today. Read breaking news article here. And tomorrow’s news today. Crime scene investigators and detectives look over the area. The man’s body is next to a tractor I cropped out of the photo because I have a soul: I want to mention Melissa who works [...]

This weekend I finally got to do a little moonlighting and earn some gold killing werewolves in Silverpine Forest: Of course my wife gets to play a whole lot more and her blood elf hunter is a much, much higher level than my undead priest: The worst thing about Warcraft is I have to work [...]

Molly K. DeWitt has been pulling busy weekend duty. I have enjoyed reading about what is going on around Onslow without having to do anything. My favorite so far is the alleged knife-wielding chewing gum thieves. Not exactly criminal masterminds…

The second article in the real time timeline is Online now. From the article: “A computer in the Laurean home accessed pornographic Web sites, including some featuring pregnant women, the afternoon of Dec. 14, 2007, according to a source close to the investigation.” Whatever happened that day, it is sad to think while Maria was [...]

The Sheriff’s Department says it has shut down a major drug dealer. He is in jail on $400,000 bond. Read the article here. The question is – will probation bail him out again?

The Daily News has begun a Lauterbach investigation timeline which will run in the print edition each day for the foreseeable future. The information will be available Online at jdnews.com. Tomorrow’s article is already up. The first report is to catch readers up to where the situation existed on Dec. 13, 2007. Sunday’s article will detail the [...]

WITN’s Chelsea Donovan proved her willingness to step into a big story today while investigating the tragic death of a Rocky Run Road area resident. Chelsea loses a shoe in the mud: Mike goes to her rescue and retrieves her shoe: I would have helped but my back hurts and I didn’t want to spill [...]

Vickie Babbitt and Vickie Lewis have many obvious differences – age, race, etc.But they share a common denominator that has affected their lives and the lives of their families. The two women, married to Marines, became involved in an extramarital relationship that altered their futures forever. Babbitt, released on bond, stands accused of helping to kill [...]

I thought it would take till at least Thursday, but the newspaper already has an editorial about the death penalty in relation to the article I wrote about Kenneth Hartley. Read the newspaper’s opinion. Best paragraph: In Hudson’s case, the district attorney was simply doing his job in the way he believed best served the [...]

UPDATED: The guy who was hassling Laura at the courthouse yesterday and played badass with authorities was arrested for drug possession and placed in the Onslow County Jail with a $10,000 bond. He has weapons charges hanging over his head along with a couple of disorderly conducts and resiting an officer. He was on probation for larceny and drug [...]

Bond has been set for murder suspect Vickie Babbitt. The judge ruled that if Babbitt comes up with $400,000, surrenders her passport and agrees to electronic monitoring, she can go back to Oregon until trial. Read entire article here. Babbitt’s defense attorney Scott Jack cleared up one question I had and raised another one during [...]

JPD tracked the man they say struck and killed a woman on U.S. 17 then drove off all the way to Georgia. They charged him today. Read the article here. JPD Sgt. Chuck James said that while no specific tip led authorities to their suspect, the police were happy with the number of calls and [...]

Warrants allege Bedford threatened his alleged murder victim Vickie Lewis two weeks before she went missing. Read article here. Read the warrant here.

Couple or three things: ~ Sheriff’s detectives have a suspect and are just waiting on ballistics to make an arrest in the horse shooting case. ~ Mike and I spoke again to the medical examiner and the comments on the blog about the baby in the Hubert case being under water for several hours is not [...]

The granddaughter of the Southwest man killed in a house fire Friday has sent me some photos of him. The family is in real bad shape right now and anything you can do will help.  The Jacksonville Moose Lodge will be setting up a trust fund for the family. Monetary and gift card donations will be [...]

On the phone Friday: Chief Photog John Althouse testing out his new camera. And no, it didn’t break.

More information will be available later, but for now the Sheriff’s Department has released information about the arrest of Albert Bedford, a man they say killed a woman and buried her in a shallow grave. Sunday morning update: Read article here.

District Attorney Dewey Hudson is unapologetic that his office came up with the same outcome in a triple murder case that was offered to him by a defense attorney years ago. Read the article here. No doubt the libertarians-that-be will use this article to springboard into another anti-capital punishment tirade, but I think the death [...]

Y’all asked and here they are. Click on the thumbnails to see larger pictures.                                                                                                    

The Half Moon community home of Cesar Laurean, and site of a grisly discovery in January, is up for sale. Read article here. A photo of the house from earlier this year.

A house fire in the Southwest area destroyed a home and burned up the elderly man inside. Read article. Sheriff’s Sgt. Lynwood Darden talks with Frank Payne across the street from his burning home: ——————————————————————- One of our staffers lives in the area and remembered name Hopkins name being in the newspaper. An archive search found that [...]

Molly K. DeWitt has an article Online detailing the city council’s heated discussion over the proposed public safety building. Read it here. Molly went over an looked at the mold for herself. Some of it was moving. She and Daily News photog Chuck Beckley thought they found a fossil in one of the offices, but [...]

Carl Lee Sewell called me from Kentucky tonight to say he has been doing fine since his release. Refresh your memory. He has a good job as a deckhand on a barge and said he has been to Texas and Louisiana. I wished Carl well and told him I hoped he didn’t kill anyone else. [...]

W.C. Jarman called me today to make sure we get the word out that the commissioners will not be discussing the register of deeds pay. Read breif article here. It has links to previous Pollard stories. In order to be added to the agenda Dec. 15, it would take two commissioners. Jarman said he spoke [...]

Tommy Pollard wanted to clarify his position in talking to the county commissioners about his wife’s pay as the register of deeds. Read article here. Also, the stoplight Pollard helped install 20 years ago will stay in place for now. Read that article here.

A New Bern man pleaded guilty today to the 2006 shooting death of a Maysville man after a high school basketball game in Jones County. Read article here. The defendant flanked by his lawyers.