Theft of sex toy, panties
nets probation for ex-pastor

WAYNESVILLE — Former part-time pastor Scott Gillis Murray was sentenced Dec. 15 to two years’ probabtion on a four-month suspended prison term after pleading guilty to stealing a woman’s sex toy, a bottle of lubricant and a pair of her panties.

In sentencing Murray, Superior Court Judge Marlene Hyatt noted that she found that he had cooperated with investigators and accepted responsibility.

What’s more, the judge said she found that Murray had a good reputation in the community prior to the crime. He also was supported by his family and friends, Hyatt said, and had been through an alcohol treatment program.
Murray, 48, of Murray Road resigned from his post at the New Covenant Church in Clyde in July after he was charged with stealing an “adult toy personal entertainment device.”

The toy’s owner returned home about 11 p.m. and spotted Murray inside her house, clutching a plastic bag, Assistant District Attorney Jim Moore told the court.

In the aftermath, Murray, who fled the scene, broke his leg after jumping over her back porch, Moore said.

The bag was left in the woods near the woman’s house, according to Murray, who admitted his guilt to investigators the next day. Follwoing a search of the area, the woman’s property was found.

The victim did not want to attend the hearing, the prosecutor noted, adding, “This has been, and still is, upsetting to her.”

Besides answering the judge’s questions about his understanding of the plea deal, Murray said nothing during the hearing.

One charge was dismissed by the state, while on another, Murray was allowed to plead guilty on the lesser charge of breaking and entering, instead of second-degree felony burglary.

In her sentencing, Hyatt ordered Murray to continue his alcohol treatment program and have no contact with the victim.

Murray, who was paid a $500 monthly stipend to cover his gas and other expenses by the church, had duties that included visited people in hospitals and checking on members who had failed to attend church recently.

Meanwhile, Murray’s attorney, Bob Clark, said his client regretted his behavior in the incident and accepted the consequences. “He accepts the fact that punishment has to come first before redemption,” Clark asserted.

Identity of woman’s body
found under bridge found

BARNARDSVILLE — The identity of a woman whose body was found Dec. 8 under a bridge in a remote area of northern Buncombe County was identified on Dec. 16 as 43-year-old Karen Lynn White.

Her fingerprints enabled the State Bureau of Investigation to identify White, Lt. Ross Dillingham of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said.

Her death is being called “suspicious,” based on the evidence at the scene, according to Dillingham, who declined to reveal any other details, citing the need to avoid jeopardizing the investigation.

White’s body was found by a state Department of Transporation worker, who was inspecting a bridge in the North Fork Road area near Barnardsville.

She was on no missing person reports and had several addresses around Asheville, officials noted.

Man pleads guilty, given 12 years in fatal stabbing

Steven Gordon Shultz, who was arrested by Asheville police in the Fourth of July stabbing death of another man outside Beaucatcher Cinemas, was sentenced on Dec. 15 to a minimum of 12 years in prison after entering a guilty plea.

Shultz, 48, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon involving the death of Frederick Garfield McLeod, Asheville police said.

McLeod reportedly was stabbed numerous times whilee seated in his vehicle and died later at Mission Hospitals.
Police said they later “discovered that Mr. McLeod was a crack cocaine dealer and that the stabbing took place during a drug sale to Mr. Shultz.” After the stabbing, McLeod fled his car and asked the cinema staff to call emergency services.

McLeod, 32, was a Jamaican native who had been living in the Asheville area for five years, police noted.

Forcible entries, larcenies
continue to rattle UNCA

Forcible entry and larceny incidents  continue to dominate of recent  crime reports rom the UNC Asheville Campus Police.

Recent cases reported at UNCA include the following:

• Case Marcus Boehm of Charlotte was issued a citation at 10:37 p.m. Dec. 13 for misdemeanor drug violations involving equipment and paraphernalia.

Boehm, 18, was arrested at Campus View Drive, where he had parked his 2003 Honda Pilot SUV. When police approached, two subjects were observed running out of the woods and getting into the vehicle.

Upon making contact with the occupants, police reported detecting what was termed “a strong odor” that was believed to be marijuana.

In addition, Boehm’s 18-year-old passenger, Maarten Corsus of Raleigh, was cited for drug violations involving equipment and paraphernalia — and with possession of less than a half-ounced of marijuana, both misdemeanors.

• Someone broke the window to an office at 110 Zagier Hall resulting in an estimated $200 in damage. The incident was discovered at 12:43 a.m. Dec. 12. The incident has been termed burglary and forcible entry and the investigation is continuing.

In another Zagier Hall incident, somone broke a glass window and opened the door at 11:31 a.m. Dec. 6. The window damage was estimated at $400 in the case, which was termed burglary and forcible entry.

• Veronica Anne Williams, a UNCA student from Canton, reported the loss of $180 in cash while she was in Founders Hall at 7:30 a.m. Dec. 11. The larceny involved one person “using hands to carry away money,” the police, who are investigating, noted.

• Someone broke the front window at Governors Hall “by using a sharp object,” resulting in $150 damage in an incident discovered about 7:58 a.m. Dec. 10.

• A larceny of a number of items from the desk of Katherine Hardy Baldwin in Justice Gym was reported at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Items taken included one purse-handbag-wallet valued at $20, as well as a platinum credit card, a regular credit card, a debit card, a Social Security card, a UNCA One Card and a Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance card.

• A larceny of a computer keyboard and mouse was discovered at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 11 by Soyung Wilson at Phillips Hall. Items taken included a Dell keyboard, valued at $50; and a Dell computer mouse, $15.

• Sarah Paige Nicholson, a UNCA student from Swansboro, reported a larceny of a number of items from Karpen Hall at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 5. The incident was committed by someone who “used hands to carry away property from another. Items taken include a pea coat, valued at $80; Mitsubishi/Igni vehicle parts and accessories, $150; and a Motorola/ROK telephone and telephone equipment, $140.

• Someone broke two plate glass windows valued at $500 in an incident involving burglary and forcible entry at rooms 102 and 302 Zeis Hall. The damage was found at 9:48 p.m. Dec. 5 Room 102 is part of the university’ss chemistry department, while Room 302 is in the biology department.