Press Releases
Today during its quarterly meeting, the Governor’s Crime Commission discussed prison management practices and efforts to improve safety at North Carolina prisons.
What: Governor's Crime Commission Quarterly Meeting
When: Thursday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Governor’s Crime Commission, First Floor Conference Room, 1201 Front St., Raleigh
RALEIGH – Governor Roy Cooper has declared Dec. 3 - 9 as Winter Weather Preparedness Week and is urging North Carolinians to plan, prepare and be ready for potentially dangerous winter weather in the months ahead.
Governor Roy Cooper today announced that Disaster Recovery Centers will open this week to help Caldwell and Wilkes county residents who were affected by storms that struck in late October. The two centers join the already announced Disaster Loan Outreach Center that opens today in Watauga County to provide financial assistance to storm survivors.
Inmate Terry Poole (#0694086) died Tuesday evening at Lanesboro Correctional Institution after an apparent suicide. He was found unresponsive in his cell at about 6:20 p.m. Prison medical staff and local paramedics responded and worked to resuscitate the inmate, but were unsuccessful.
Poole, 36, was sentenced in Lee County in 2005 and had a 24-year sentence for second degree murder. He was scheduled to be released in October 2023.
Approximately 74 federal, state, and local officers combined forces this week in Wayne County to seek subjects wanted on outstanding warrants and to conduct searches of high-risk individuals under the supervision of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. This effort resulted in 30 arrests and 42 warrants served, for a total of 60 charges cleared. Additionally, officers seized two firearms, 178 rounds of ammunition, and quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana.
Correctional staff from Wake County and local law enforcement are searching for escaped inmate Larry J. Locklear (#0245809).
Locklear, 66, who was on a work assignment, is a minimum custody inmate serving a sentence at Wake Correctional Center as a habitual felon. His projected release date was October 2021.
Media Staging Areas
WHAT: Correctional Officer Wendy Shannon’s Memorial Service
WHERE: Floyd L. Robinson Auditorium
Burnim Fine Arts Center
Elizabeth City State University
Fine Arts Way, Elizabeth City, NC
*Two media staging areas have been established:
Geoffrey Howe, a maintenance mechanic for Pasquotank Correctional Institution, passed away Thursday at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital from injuries suffered during a failed inmate escape attempt on Oct. 12.
“Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to the Howe family,” said Department of Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks. “This tragedy has horribly impacted the lives of four families, as well as co-workers and friends.”
Correctional Officer Wendy Shannon passed away Monday evening at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital from injuries suffered during an inmate escape attempt Oct. 12 at Pasquotank Correctional Institution.
“We mourn the loss of our colleague Correctional Officer Shannon,” said Department of Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks. “Our deepest condolences go out to the Shannon family during this difficult time.”