5 bodies, 8 arrests: Several murders shake Burke County

Four homicide investigations and one suspicious death investigation across Burke County has led to five bodies and eight arrests in the past week.

TWO VICTIMS IN GLEN ALPINE

Two arrests were made on Friday following the discovery of human remains in Glen Alpine.

One day after responding to reports of suspicious circumstances near Simpson Field in conjunction with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Burke County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) discovered the remains of Raheim McClain Murray, 31, of Morganton, near a nature trail on July 21.

According to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, investigators discovered the remains of another victim nearby four days later on July 25. The remains were later identified as Murray’s wife, Carla Janon Murray, 39, of Morganton.

During the early hours of July 25, officers arrested Jamar Quarmaine Propst, 36, and Tosha Lee Lewis, 36, charging them each initially with one count of felony conspiracy and one count of first-degree murder.

Both defendants made their first appearances in court Monday. The court denied bond and appointed attorneys M. Victoria Jayne and Robert Thomson to represent Propst and Lewis, respectively, before officers escorted the two from the courtroom.

Later Monday, investigators identified Carla, and charged each defendant with an additional count of conspiracy and an additional count of first-degree murder.

Their first appearance for the newer charges will be on July 30. Their probable cause hearings for the first charges — where the court determines whether there is enough evidence to continue with prosecution — will be on Aug. 17.

ARGUMENT TURNS DEADLY

On July 25, the BCSO responded to a call on River Rock Road in Hickory. The caller reported that there was a fight and she believed someone had been shot.

Upon arrival, officers found the victim with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the chest. Despite deputies’ attempts to save him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following the investigation, Kenneth Lee Potter, 40, of Hickory, was taken into custody on a felony murder charge.

The court appointed Cynthia Goelling-Phillips as his attorney on Monday, July 27, and the court denied his bond.

FOUR ARRESTED AFTER SHOOTING

Around 1 a.m. on July 26, Morganton Department of Public Safety (MDPS) officers responded to the sounds of multiple gunshots ringing out from near West Union Street in Morganton.

Upon arrival, officers located the victim lying face down in the road. Despite attempts by officers and Burke County EMS to save the man’s life, he died.

Following several hours of investigation with the SBI, MDPS arrested four people:

Ke’von Blake Mack, 18, of Morganton, is charged with felony first-degree murder.

Braxton Garland Collins, 19, of Morganton, is charged with felony obstruction of justice and misdemeanor discharging a firearm in the city — when he fired at the victim’s feet, according to court documents.

Justice Grant Raab, 20, of Morganton, is charged with felony obstruction of justice.

Ayanna Nichole Parridgen, 19, of Hickory, is charged with felony obstruction of justice.

According to court documents, "all subjects walked away together and left (the) victim laying and did not call for help."

All four of them appeared in district court on Monday and received court-appointed attorneys.

Mack was denied bond. Collins received a secured bond of $25,000, which was later increased to $125,000 during his first appearance in court.

Raab and Parridgen each received a secured bond of $20,000, which was later increased to $100,000.

A condition of their releases, should they pay the bail, includes a curfew of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Their next appearances in court will be on Aug. 17.

SUSPICIOUS DEATH LEADS TO CHARGES

Earlier in the week, on Monday, July 20, around 3:17 a.m., the BCSO responded to Barus Pond Loop in Valdese after a reported suspicious death.

By Thursday, July 23, the BCSO had contacted the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, who arrested Troy Allen Deese, of Newton, on one count of felony concealment of death.

Authorities later identified the victim as Amanda Brooke Williams, 43, of Valdese. As of Friday, Deese was awaiting extradition to North Carolina.

He does not yet have a court date set for Burke County District Court.