Four Dead in Lenoir 

An investigation continues after Lenoir Police find four people dead inside

a home at 1226 Laurel Place NW. Investigators on Wednesday entered the

residence after receiving 911 calls advising there were shots fired, a fire,

and a possible explosion. Investigators found found deceased, a 58-year-old

white man, 29-year-old white man, 18-year-old white woman and a 15-year-old

white girl. According to a Lenoir Police Department news release, it does not

appear to be a random act, and no suspects were being sought as of Wednesday

afternoon. The SBI is assisting Lenoir Police and the Lenoir Fire Department with

the investigation.  

Soliciting Charge

A Connelly Springs man faces solicitation charges.

A release from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office says the criminal investigation division had received a report in March from Hickory Police regarding possible solicitation of minors.

Further investigation led to a warrant being issued for 30-year-old Cody Allen Lowman of 6078 Miller Bridge Road.

Lowman is charged with felony solicit a child by computer, and felony indecent liberties with a child.

He was arrested Tuesday without incident and issued a 50-thousand dollar bond.

Lowman was placed in the Burke County jail with a court appearance scheduled for today.

Wanted Man

The US Marshal’s Service is looking for a male suspect in connection with a January 2020 murder that occurred in New York – and they believe he may be in NC.

A federal arrest warrant has been issued for 27-year-old Andre Whigham for unlawful flight to avoid persecution.

Reports say Whigham is a person of interest in the murder of 22-year-old Taira Lott who reportedly disappeared in late January last year.

Her body, reports state, was found weeks later along railroad tracks in Buffalo.

Whigham was the last person believed to see Lott before she was killed.

The US Marshal’s office is offering a reward of up to 5-thousand dollars for information leading to his arrest.

Whigham is a black male, 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighs 210 pounds.

He has several tattoos including a highly visible one on his neck.

Officials say he has connections to NC and Ohio.

Anyone having information about Whigham is urged to call Crimestoppers at 716-867-6161 or the US Marshal’s Service at 1-800-336-0102.

 Theft Arrest

Five McDowell County residents have been arrested for the March theft of a four-wheeler.

A Nebo man on March 8^th told authorities that someone removed a child’s ATV from his property.

Witnesses observed a suspicious truck in the area following the theft which eventually led to the five arrests.

24-year-old Christian Powser of Nebo and 21-year-old Hunter Welch of Marion are both charged with larceny and possession of stolen goods.

31-year-old Jacob McNeilly of Nebo, 27-year-old Jordan Miller of Nebo, and 43-year-old Michael Nichols on Marion were each charged with possession of stolen goods.

Officials with the McDowell Sheriff’s Office were able to recover the ATV.

Eviction Protection Ends

The order protecting NC residents against evictions end today after the Council of State rejected a one-month extension.

On Monday, Governor Cooper requested that the Council of State approve extending the moratorium through July; putting state residents in line with the CDC evictions moratorium.

An extension would have given tenants notice that the moratorium would be lifted at the end of July.

The CDC evictions moratorium went into effect last September protecting certain residents, based on income, from being evicted for an inability to pay rent due to hardship created by the COVID-19 pandemic.