RRSpin - Men with previous criminal ties to area charged in Alford murder

Wednesday, 14 March 2018 18:31

Men with previous criminal ties to area charged in Alford murder

Written by Lance Martin

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Martin escorts Kearney to a waiting patrol car. rrspin.com

Two men with previous criminal ties to Halifax and Warren counties are in custody without opportunity for bond in the first-degree murder of Roanoke Rapids psychologist Nancy Alford.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Ninth Judicial District prosecutors office announced the arrests of Kevin Munn and Lester Kearney at a joint press conference at Roanoke-Wildwood Volunteer Fire Department this afternoon.

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Kearney was arrested this afternoon by Roanoke Rapids police and Munn was arrested Tuesday night by the state Highway Patrol in what District Attorney Mike Waters described as an area in a Ninth District community.

Kearney has ties to the Littleton area while Munn has ties to the Littleton and Warrenton areas, records show.

The Highway Patrol and Warren County Sheriff Johnny Williams declined to say where Munn was specifically arrested.

They currently face first-degree murder charges in Mrs. Alford’s death and other charges are pending, Waters said.

Waters declined to elaborate on the relationship between Munn and Kearney.

He did tell media the home invasion at the Lake Gaston home of Mrs. Alford and her husband, John, who was badly burned in a subsequent house fire, was not random. “This was a robbery and they will be charged as such,” he said. “I think they knew of the couple.”

Waters called the house fire incendiary.

Waters said his office will sit down with the primary investigators to discuss the other charges which will be filed against the two men.

Mrs. Alford, 76, was kidnapped and robbed, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, has previously said.

Mr. Alford made it out of the house and is being treated at Duke University Hospital.

The sheriff’s office said two masked intruders invaded the home on Mulberry Court Friday morning.

One of the intruders drove Mrs. Alford to an undisclosed State Employees' Credit Union branch in Roanoke Rapids and forced her to withdraw money from an ATM, while the second intruder stayed in the home with her husband, the sheriff’s office said.

Mrs. Alford was driven back to the house on Lake Gaston, where the intruders beat her husband before setting fire to the house while the Alfords were tied up inside.

The Alfords’ Mercedes was stolen and found burned in Haywood County, Waters said. He declined to discuss whether evidence was found and declined to say how Munn and Kearney made it back to the area.

Munn has a lengthy criminal record in Warren County, according to state Department of Public Safety records.

His past record includes numerous counts of larceny, damaging telecommunication wires and a count of burning personal property, a charge which dates back to 2003.

Kearney has a criminal record which includes convictions in Halifax, Nash and Warren, DPS records show.

Records also show he goes by the name Dervan A. Brown.

He has served time for second-degree kidnapping, assault, larceny and other counts.

Waters said the past records of the men “are not reflective of what has happened” in Friday’s case.

Roanoke Rapids police Chief Chuck Hasty said the police department received information today of Kearney’s whereabouts. The police department used surveillance, A-squad patrol officers, City County Drug Task Force agents and detectives to affect Kearney’s arrest around 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of Smith Church Road and Highway 158.

Kearney had no comment as he was escorted from the Roanoke Rapids Police Department to a waiting Warren County Sheriff’s Office patrol car.

Warren County Lieutenant Michael Wells, who with Roanoke Rapids Captain Bobby Martin escorted Kearney to his car, declined comment.

Both men, Waters said, were arrested following vehicle stops.

Waters said Mr. Alford continues to recover from the injuries he sustained in the house fire. “With what he’s went through, he’s helped us as much as he could.”

North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mike Benning gave “sincere condolences” to family and friends of the Alfords, some who gathered at the fire station. “The family exhibited extreme courage and strength through this event.”

He commended the effort law enforcement put forth in the case. “If it wasn’t for the effort, we would not have been as successful as we have been.”

Williams said agencies throughout the region and state as well as Virginia aided in the investigation. “These guys helped us tremendously.”

One friend and one family member of the Alfords declined comment following the briefing.

Waters expects Kearney and Munn to have their first appearances in Warren County District Court next Wednesday.