April 2021 | Page 2 of 99 | My Crime Library

Johnny Hyde North Carolina Death Row

Johnny Hyde was sentenced to death by the State of North Carolina for the robbery and murder of Leslie Howard. According to court documents Johnny Hyde and two codefendents James Blake, and Joel Coleman decided to rob Leslie Howard and in the process of the robbery the victim would be stabbed to death.

North Carolina Death Row Inmate List

Johnny Hyde 2021 Information

Offender Number:	0542024
Inmate Status:	ACTIVE
Probation/Parole/Post Release Status:	INACTIVE
Gender:	MALE
Race:	AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKAN NATIVE
Ethnic Group:	AMERICAN INDIAN
Birth Date:	07/26/1972
Age:	48
Current Location:	CENTRAL PRISON

Johnny Hyde More News

Based on defendant’s statement to Onslow County Sheriff’s Detective W. Len Condry and Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown, the State’s evidence tended to show that on the night of 1 August 1996, defendant was drinking with James Blake and Joel Coleman at a shed next to defendant’s house. Defendant heard Blake and Coleman discussing where they could obtain other drugs since the blue pills that they were ingesting were not intoxicating enough. Blake and Coleman mentioned that Leslie Egbert Howard, the victim, always had drugs in his residence. Defendant then listened as Blake and Coleman planned the break-in of the victim’s mobile home; the victim was considered an easy target since he was always alone. Sometime after midnight, Blake and Coleman asked defendant for his assistance in breaking into the victim’s residence to steal “weed.” Defendant agreed, and they gathered several items from defendant’s shed. Blake and Coleman dressed in camouflage-style coats, gloves, and toboggans. Defendant carried a knife and a hand saw, while Blake carried an ax head and a pipe.

Defendant, Blake, and Coleman then walked to the victim’s mobile home. Blake used the ax head and pipe to pry open the front door. Defendant led the way down the hallway to the victim’s bedroom and found the victim sitting up in the bed. The victim then lunged at defendant, and defendant stabbed the victim several times with the knife. When the victim fell to his knees, either Blake or Coleman hit the victim in the back of the head with the pipe. The victim then fell to the floor on his back. Defendant stabbed the victim in the side and in the back with a drill bit from the shed. Defendant then began cutting the victim’s throat with the hand saw until the sight of blood and the foul smell became nauseating. Sheriff Brown asked defendant about his intention when he used the saw. Defendant replied, “I guess to kill him. I guess we thought he would tell the next day if we didn’t after all we did.” Defendant further stated, “I went over there that night just to be the muscle to help them get the herb. I had no intention of killing [the victim] when we went over there.” Coleman resumed cutting the victim’s throat for about three minutes while Blake was in the living room keeping a lookout. Someone then yelled that a car was approaching, and then all three men ran from the victim’s mobile home back to defendant’s shed. Blake set fire to all the weapons in a barrel to “burn off the blood” and then placed them in a trash receptacle to be picked up the next day.

When defendant returned to his residence, his sister saw that defendant was covered in blood and asked him what had happened. Defendant told his sister that he thought that he and the others “had just killed [the victim].” Defendant’s sister assisted defendant in washing his bloody clothing. All the clothing came clean except for a small spot of blood on the T-shirt he had worn.

On 2 August 1996 the victim’s father discovered the victim’s body. Shortly thereafter members of the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department and the Onslow County Emergency Medical Services arrived. An emergency medical technician determined that the victim was deceased. The cause of death was a combination of multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen, blunt trauma to the head, and massive lacerations to the neck. None of the weapons used to kill the victim were recovered at the murder scene.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/nc-supreme-court/1454806.html

Patrick Steen North Carolina Death Row

Patrick Steen was sentenced to death by the State of North Carolina for the murder of Virginia Frost. According to court documents Patrick Steen would break into the home of eighty year old Virginia Frost, attempted to sexually assault her before murdering the woman and robbing her home. Patrick Steen would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.

North Carolina Death Row Inmate List

Patrick Steen 2021 Information

Offender Number:	0388640
Inmate Status:	ACTIVE
Probation/Parole/Post Release Status:	INACTIVE
Gender:	MALE
Race:	WHITE
Ethnic Group:	EUROPEAN/N.AM./AUSTR
Birth Date:	12/31/1969
Age:	51
Current Location:	CENTRAL PRISON

Patrick Steen More News

At trial, the State’s evidence tended to show that on 29 February 1996, shortly before 4:00 p.m., Officer Gordon Ogilvie of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to a report of a broken window at 2626 Tanglewood Lane. The victim, eighty-year-old Virginia Frost, had resided at the residence for forty years. When Officer Ogilvie arrived at Mrs. Frost’s residence, a neighbor, Susan Bankson, met him. She explained that her children had been playing in Mrs. Frost’s yard and found some broken glass. Ms. Bankson went to Mrs. Frost’s house and saw that the glass door leading to the sunroom was shattered. Ms. Bankson called Mrs. Frost’s daughter, Ann Copeland, and also the police.

Officer Richard Stahnke also arrived at the scene. The officers entered the victim’s house to determine if a break-in had occurred. Once inside, the officers noticed that the house appeared to have been ransacked. The officers then observed the lifeless body of Virginia Frost lying in a bathroom. Mrs. Frost was nude except for a shirt pulled up around her neck. The officers also observed what appeared to be dried blood on Mrs. Frost’s face and on one of her hands. There was a pool of blood around her head, and there appeared to be an indentation on her head as though she had been struck with some object. A pair of pantyhose was underneath Mrs. Frost’s body.

An autopsy performed on 1 March 1996 revealed contusions over the bridge of the victim’s nose, around her left eye and over the left side of her cheek; a laceration on the right side of her scalp; bruising over her head, neck, left arm, shoulder, chest and buttocks; and a broken tooth. The autopsy also revealed areas of hemorrhage around the brain, swelling and bruising of the brain, sixteen separate fractures to ten different ribs, and small tears in the inner lining of the chest. The autopsy report described the head injuries as blunt-trauma injuries caused when the body was impacted by something blunt. The report also stated that none of the blows would have been immediately fatal, and that Mrs. Frost would have survived for three to four hours. The cause of Mrs. Frost’s death was determined to be blunt-trauma injuries to her head due to an assault.

On the same day that the police discovered Mrs. Frost’s body, Officers A.J. Mullis and P.M. Ensminger of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to a call concerning a man on a bicycle weaving on Randolph Road, which is less than two miles from the victim’s residence. The officers discovered the defendant, Patrick Joseph Steen, on a bicycle on the roadway, weaving back and forth through heavy traffic. The officers pulled defendant over on the side of the road and observed a large contusion running across defendant’s forehead and what appeared to be dried blood on his left cheek. The officers also noticed an odor of alcohol about defendant. After obtaining consent to search defendant, the officers found a driver’s license issued to a William H. Maynard and numerous credit cards with the same name. The officers also found a crack pipe and a marijuana pipe on defendant’s person. The officers arrested defendant for possession of drug paraphernalia and theft of the credit cards. Officer Mullis subsequently sent information about defendant to a homicide investigator looking into the murder of Mrs. Frost.

On 6 March 1996, defendant gave written consent for the search of the clothes he was wearing when he was arrested. Defendant was released from custody on 14 March 1996. On 16 March 1996, two of the murder investigators went to his home and asked defendant to accompany them to the Law Enforcement Center. Defendant was told he was not under arrest and was questioned about his whereabouts from 26 February to 29 February 1996. Defendant was subsequently placed under arrest for Mrs. Frost’s murder and was advised of his Miranda rights.

At trial, Henrietta Doster, an acquaintance of defendant’s, testified that in late February 1996, defendant showed her and her boyfriend, Charlie Davis, a small red television. Defendant also emptied the contents of a small blue tote bag which contained coins, buttons and a lady’s wallet. Doster looked at the wallet and saw an elderly lady’s driver’s license with the name “Virginia” on it. Davis gave defendant thirty dollars for the television.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/nc-supreme-court/1235704.html

Robert Brewington North Carolina Death Row

Robert Brewington was sentenced to death by the State of North Carolina for the murders of his nephew and grandmother. According to court documents Robert Brewington would pay Michael McKeithan and Vera Sue Lee a $1000 to burn down a house. The two codefendents would pour a large amount of gasoline into the home setting it on fire killing Brian Brewington and Frances Brewington. Robert Brewington would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

North Carolina Death Row Inmate List

Robert Brewington 2021 Information

Offender Number:	0584095
Inmate Status:	ACTIVE
Gender:	MALE
Race:	AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKAN NATIVE
Ethnic Group:	EUROPEAN/N.AM./AUSTR
Birth Date:	05/17/1964
Age:	56
Current Location:	CENTRAL PRISON

Robert Brewington More News

At trial, the State’s evidence tended to show that defendant and Vera Sue Lee were engaged to be married. Defendant lived in Dunn, North Carolina, with his grandmother, Frances Brewington, who had adopted him as a child, and also with his eight-year-old nephew, Brian Brewington. On 21 April 1997, defendant took out two life insurance policies from Home Beneficial Life Insurance Company. One policy was on defendant’s brother, Patrick Brewington, for $75,000. The other policy was on Patrick’s son, Brian, for $58,552. Defendant forged Patrick’s signature on both policies and named himself as the beneficiary on both. On 29 May 1997, Lee and defendant made a deposit on a lot and mobile home, but the mortgage company refused to approve their loan.

After defendant took out the life insurance policies on Brian and Patrick, Lee met with her friend, Chris Wilson, and discussed the idea of killing Patrick Brewington to get money for a house. Lee offered to share $10,000 from the insurance proceeds with Wilson if they killed Patrick. A week later, Lee, Wilson, and defendant met to discuss killing Patrick, but Wilson refused to help. Lee, however, continued to talk about killing either Patrick or Brian Brewington during the weeks that followed. During this time, Lee also recruited Henry Michael McKeithan to help with the killing, promising him “$200 or $300 Wednesday and about a $1,000 in three to four months.”

On 1 June 1997, Lee and defendant discussed defendant’s plan for her to kill Frances and Brian Brewington. Defendant told Lee to make the crime look like a robbery, remove a few items such as the TV, stab Frances and Brian, and set the house on fire. On 11 June 1997, defendant and Lee went to an open-air market and bought a knife to use for the killings. During a telephone conversation that evening, defendant told Lee that he was ready for the plan to be carried out.

Around 4:49 a.m. on 12 June 1997, Lee and McKeithan, who had just driven by the Brewington residence and honked the horn to wake defendant, purchased two one-gallon jugs of distilled water at Winn-Dixie. They emptied the water from the jugs and refilled them with gasoline from the T-Mart on Cumberland Street. During this time, defendant dressed for work; collected the insurance policies and his best clothes for Frances’ and Brian’s funerals; and left the Brewington home, leaving the back door unlocked. Defendant drove to Hardee World where he met Lee, and defendant put his clothes in the trunk of Lee’s car. Defendant then drove to work while Lee and McKeithan drove to the Brewington residence.

When Lee and McKeithan arrived at the Brewington house, they parked the car in the driveway, put on rubber gloves, and entered the house through the back door, carrying the jugs of gasoline. Lee gave McKeithan the knife from the open-air market and told him to kill Brian while she killed Frances. Unable to stab Brian, McKeithan instead poured gasoline around the bedroom where the victims were sleeping. As McKeithan and Lee stood over them with knives, Frances and Brian Brewington woke up and started screaming. McKeithan stabbed Frances Brewington repeatedly and then ran to the car to get his lighter. While McKeithan was outside, Lee, who had stabbed Brian, lit a dishrag at the heater and ignited the gasoline in the bedroom. Although severely wounded, the Brewingtons continued to scream while Lee and McKeithan ran to the car and drove away. Lee and McKeithan buried the knife and burned their clothing and gloves at McKeithan’s house.

At approximately 6:15 a.m. that morning, Harnett County Sheriff’s Deputy Jerry Edwards saw smoke rising from the Brewington house. He called the fire department, then went to the house and tried to look into the windows, but the smoke was too thick for him to see inside. After the firefighters extinguished the fire, they notified Deputy Edwards that they had found two bodies in the bedroom. Deputy Edwards secured the scene after viewing the bodies and a jug of gasoline and lighter in the living room. Defendant had been summoned from work before the fire was extinguished. When he arrived at the house, defendant spoke with Deputy Edwards. Defendant told Deputy Edwards that he had left for work around 5:30 a.m., and that when he left, the only appliance running was the air conditioner. Defendant was also interviewed twice that day by Deputy Fire Marshal Jimmy Riddle. During the first interview around 8:05 a.m., defendant told Riddle that the microwave would sometimes “kick out” the circuit breakers and that there were several extension cords in the bedroom. Riddle terminated the interview because defendant seemed “very upset.” Around 12:20 that afternoon, Riddle again interviewed defendant, who stated that he had left the house by 5:30 a.m. and that he had run several errands before arriving at work. Defendant also stated that his grandmother had been having problems with the air conditioner lately and that he had not seen the jug of gasoline that had been found in the living room.

The preliminary investigation of the crime scene showed that the fire had been deliberately set with an accelerant which was poured on the floor of the bedroom. This conclusion was based on factors such as the “pour pattern” of the gasoline, the color of the smoke and flames, and the elimination of the electrical system and all appliances as possible sources of the fire. The investigation also revealed the knife wounds to Frances Brewington’s body. A knife handle and partial knife blade were also found under her body.

Following the investigation, defendant, McKeithan and Lee were arrested and charged. Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 15A-926, the State elected to try defendant and McKeithan in a joint trial, and Lee was tried separately.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/nc-supreme-court/1140476.html

Rodney Taylor North Carolina Death Row

Rodney Taylor was sentenced to death by the State of North Carolina for the murder of Brian Troy. According to court documents Rodney Taylor would execute Brian Troy by shooting him in the back of the head over a fifty dollar debt. Rodney Taylor would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

North Carolina Death Row Inmate List

Rodney Taylor 2021 Information

Offender Number:	0472274
Inmate Status:	ACTIVE
Probation/Parole/Post Release Status:	INACTIVE
Gender:	MALE
Race:	BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN
Ethnic Group:	AFRICAN
Birth Date:	11/27/1971
Age:	49
Current Location:	CENTRAL PRISON

Rodney Taylor More News

At trial, the State’s evidence tended to show that on 1 January 1998, defendant and his brother, Kashene Taylor, left the Hillcrest Housing Complex in Wilmington, North Carolina, with Brian Troy shortly before 6:00 p.m. and drove to Bryan Road. Defendant and Troy got out of the car and talked briefly. As Troy knelt in the road, defendant shot him in the head and upper body. Defendant and Kashene Taylor then returned to apartment 4 in the Hillcrest Housing Complex.

The victim’s body was discovered by a passing motorist, who summoned the paramedics and police. When the paramedics arrived at 6:32 p.m., they found the victim’s lifeless body in the roadway. Officers from the Wilmington Police Department arrived shortly afterwards and secured the scene. An autopsy performed on the victim’s body on 2 January 1998 revealed gunshot wounds to the head and the hip. The cause of death was determined to be the gunshot wound to the head.

The victim’s father, Willie Troy, Jr. (Mr. Troy), testified that he dropped his son off between 5:00 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. on 1 January 1998 near the intersection of 13th and Mears Streets in Wilmington. He stated that his son had indicated to him that he was going to visit friends at apartment 4. Mr. Troy also testified that he gave his son $10.00 as he got out of the car and that his son was carrying a pager.

The victim sold drugs for defendant. Katie Coe, defendant’s girlfriend, testified that she told defendant that the victim had told her that he had spent the money he owed defendant. The victim told defendant that a member of the Wilmington Police Department’s city/county vice-narcotics team had confiscated the drugs from him. Sergeant Billy Maultsby of the Wilmington Police Department testified that Ms. Coe told him that defendant did not feel that the victim was being truthful about the drugs and money the victim owed defendant and that defendant was upset by the contradictory stories. Ms. Coe also testified that the victim left apartment 4 sometime before 6:00 p.m. to purchase marijuana. According to Ms. Coe, defendant and Kashene Taylor arrived shortly thereafter and left to find the victim. Veronica Roberts, Michael Coe’s girlfriend, testified that she, defendant, Kashene Taylor, Michael Coe, and Katie Coe were all present when the victim arrived. According to Ms. Roberts, defendant motioned for the victim to step outside, and Kashene Taylor followed them.

The victim was not with defendant when he returned to the apartment. Katie Coe testified that defendant was breathing hard when he returned. On the night of 1 January 1998, after Mr. Troy told the police of his son’s intention to visit his friends, the police went to apartment 4. Defendant, Michael Coe, and Katie Coe were present when the police arrived. The apartment occupants confirmed that the victim had been there that evening. On 2 January 1998, defendant and Katie Coe left Fayetteville, North Carolina, by bus for New York, New York. During the bus ride to New York, defendant told Ms. Coe that he had shot the victim. Ms. Coe returned to Wilmington from New York after calling the Wilmington Police Department. A magistrate issued a warrant for defendant’s arrest on 8 January 1998. Defendant was subsequently located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

In Florida, defendant was presented to a Broward County committing magistrate on 9 January 1998. On 11 January 1998, two Wilmington Police Department detectives interviewed defendant in the Broward County jail. At that time, defendant gave taped and written confessions of the murder. Defendant waived extradition and was returned to North Carolina. The arrest warrant was served upon defendant on 23 January 1998.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/nc-supreme-court/1401277.html

Jeffrey Meyer North Carolina Death Row

Jeffrey Meyer was sentenced to death by the State of North Carolina for the robbery and murders of Janie and Paul Kutz. According to court documents Jeffrey Meyer would break into the home of elderly couple Janie and Paul Kutz and proceeded to murder the couple during the robbery. Jeffrey Meyer would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.

North Carolina Death Row Inmate List

Jeffrey Meyer 2021 Information

Offender Number:	0280127
Inmate Status:	ACTIVE
Gender:	MALE
Race:	WHITE
Ethnic Group:	EUROPEAN/N.AM./AUSTR
Birth Date:	11/02/1966
Age:	54
Current Location:	CENTRAL PRISON

Jeffrey Meyer More News

In December 1986, defendant and Mark Thompson were soldiers on active duty and stationed at Fort Bragg. Defendant and Thompson began watching a residence owned by an elderly couple, planning to burglarize the couple’s home. Based on their surveillance efforts, defendant and Thompson knew that Paul and Janie Kutz (the victims) were an “elder couple” who owned two vehicles but “usually traveled” together in the same car.

On 1 December 1986, defendant and Thompson, dressed in “ninja” suits, broke into the victims’ home in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Surprised by Mr. Kutz, defendant shot him with a blow gun (a martial arts weapon that launches sharp darts from a hollow tube). When Mr. Kutz continued to advance, defendant stabbed and killed him with a butterfly knife. Defendant and Thompson also stabbed and killed Mrs. Kutz with butterfly knives. Thereafter, defendant and Thompson stole jewelry, credit cards, and a television from the Kutz residence.

During the early morning hours of 2 December 1986, military police officer Robert Provalenko intercepted defendant and Thompson as they traveled in a red pickup truck through a restricted area of Fort Bragg. Officer Provalenko observed that defendant and Thompson were dressed in black pants and ninja boots. When Officer Provalenko noticed a black-handled butterfly knife in the glove compartment of the truck, directly in front of defendant, he asked defendant and Thompson to exit the vehicle. Thompson then consented to a search of his vehicle. During the ensuing search, Officer Provalenko and military police officer George Clark found a second butterfly knife, a pair of nunchucks, a blowgun, and latex rubber gloves. The officers also found jewelry, a television, and credit cards, all of which were later identified as belonging to the victims.

Later that morning, following a report from the military police about credit cards seized from defendant and Thompson, Cumberland County Deputy Sheriff David Stewart was dispatched to respond to a possible break-in at the victims’ residence. Upon arriving at the victims’ residence, Deputy Stewart observed signs of a break-in, including an open window and door. After entering the victims’ residence, Deputy Stewart discovered the victims’ stabbed bodies. Deputy Stewart found Mr. Kutz’s body lying in a recliner in the den and discovered Mrs. Kutz’s body lying on a bed in the master bedroom. John Trogdon, a crime-scene technician with the Fayetteville Police Department, examined the victims’ residence and observed footprints consistent with ninja boots in the dirt around the house, as well as on a dining room chair. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Agent Lucy Milks, an expert in forensic serology, tested various evidence seized from the victims’ residence. Among other things, Agent Milks determined that human blood consistent with the type of both victims was present on the black-handled butterfly knife. A test conducted on the chrome butterfly knife revealed the presence of human blood consistent with the type of Mrs. Kutz.

SBI agent John Bendure, an expert in fiber analysis and comparison, testified that his testing of the black-handled butterfly knife revealed the presence of light-brown polyester fiber that was consistent with the upholstery of the chair in which Mr. Kutz’s body was found. Agent Bendure also tested the chrome butterfly knife and associated fiber samples from that knife with a blue blanket found with Mrs. Kutz’s body. In addition, Agent Bendure testified that fibers from the pink nightgown worn by Mrs. Kutz at the time of her death could be associated with both knives. Finally, Agent Bendure testified that fibers associated with the blanket and sheets in the bedroom were found on the clothing worn by both defendant and Thompson.

On 3 December 1986, Dale Wayne Wyatt, then a soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, was detained in the Cumberland County jail waiting to appear in court on a worthless-check charge. Wyatt testified at trial that he met defendant in one of the holding facilities during his detention. According to Wyatt, defendant told him that “he was being investigated in a double homicide” and that his clothes were being held as evidence. Wyatt testified that defendant told him about the murder of Mr. Kutz. Defendant told Wyatt that when he entered the Kutz residence, he saw Mr. Kutz, shot him with a blowgun dart, then stabbed him with a butterfly knife.

Forensic pathologist Dr. George Lutman performed an autopsy on the sixty-two-year-old body of Mrs. Kutz. In Dr. Lutman’s expert opinion, Mrs. Kutz’s death was caused by multiple stab wounds. Dr. Lutman testified that Mrs. Kutz had been stabbed or cut approximately twenty-five or twenty-six times. Four stab wounds penetrated into the right side of Mrs. Kutz’s chest, and another penetrated into the left side. Mrs. Kutz also suffered multiple wounds to the liver, a stab wound into her neck that reached to the spinal column, a stab wound that cut the tip of her spleen, and a stab wound that cut one of the tubes from the kidney to the bladder. Dr. Lutman also noted “defensive wounds” to Mrs. Kutz’s hands, indicating an attempt to fend off an attacker. The most critical wound was located near Mrs. Kutz’s right shoulder, where a knife “tunneled up” and severed her windpipe and her carotid artery, causing Mrs. Kutz to aspirate blood into her lungs when she inhaled. Dr. Lutman observed that Mrs. Kutz’s “lungs were markedly expanded with ․ trapped air and blood.” This aspiration indicated to Dr. Lutman that Mrs. Kutz had remained alive “for some period of time after receiving the wound.”

Forensic pathologist Dr. Fred Ginn performed an autopsy on the sixty-eight-year-old body of Mr. Kutz. Dr. Ginn testified that wounds to the front of Mr. Kutz’s body included a stab wound above the left eye, a stab wound above the right collar bone down in his neck, a “large gaping wound across the neck,” two stab wounds in the upper left chest, and an “oval shaped stab wound ․ in the sixth rib space.” Dr. Ginn also noted defensive wounds on Mr. Kutz’s left hand and, on Mr. Kutz’s left shoulder, “a small punctate mark of the size that would be made by a needle or dart.” Dr. Ginn further testified that wounds to the back of Mr. Kutz’s body included a cut above the left elbow; three stab wounds into the left side of the chest and one into the right side of the chest; and stab wounds to the left and right of the spine, with the left wound extending into the left kidney. A wound to the chest and left ventricle of Mr. Kutz’s heart caused 150 milliliters of blood from the heart to collect between the heart wall and the connective tissue sac that encases the heart. Dr. Ginn opined that the probable cause of death was the stab wound to the heart. Dr. Ginn also testified that “between half a minute to five minutes could have elapsed before” Mr. Kutz died from the effects of the stab wounds and that Mr. Kutz “could have been conscious any of that time up to the maximum.”

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/nc-supreme-court/1127457.html