. Police said they were dead for at least a day. Following the welfare check, the sheriff’s office named 38-year-old Troy David Whisnant, the son of the couple, as a person of interest. Whisnant was not at his parents’ home when investigators arrived, but the discovery of the homicides of his father and step mother was just beginning of wild series incidents in the search for the suspect. Police say he broke into a neighbor’s shed, stole weapons and stole a vehicle. Authorities discovered that the door of a neighboring house near the homicide had been kicked in. After searching the home, deputies discovered five firearms – a .22 revolver, .22 rifle, 12-guage pump shotgun, single-shot 12-guage and a .50 caliber muzzle load – were missing. A .32 pistol was taken from the outbuilding. Whisnant wrecked that vehicle and fled the scene, then stealing a second car. When police spotted him driving, Whisnant abandoned the second stolen car and ran into the woods. The suspect came across a U.S. Forestry Service officer Crisp as he ran and shot and killed the officer and his K9 Maros at 2:55 p.m. in an ambush with a 12-gauge shotgun. After killing his third victim Whisnant stole the officer’s .45-caliber pistol and magazine and fled again. The manhunt concluded when an Avery County deputy and two troopers with North Carolina Highway Patrol found Whisnant. They exchanged gunfire. At least one bullet struck and killed Whisnant at 4:45p.m.
Whisnant had lengthy criminal history and had more than a dozen prior charges. In February of 1996 the then 20-year-old Whisnant strolled into Burke County Sheriff’s Department on February 11, 1996 and confessed to killing his best friend, William Shane Newton, the night before. Whisnant had been abusing substances, including alcohol, prescription and nonprescription drugs since he was 12 years old. Whisnant pleaded guilty 14 months later to voluntary manslaughter in Superior Court. He was given credit for the 14 months he spent in prison before the sentencing, and was incarcerated for another year. Whisnant continued to lead a life of crime, and was later convicted on the following charges between his April 1998 release and April of 2011: felony larceny over $1,000, possession of stolen goods, credit card theft, misdemeanor possession of schedule VI controlled substance, open container of alcohol after consuming, resisting an officer, assault on a public official and reckless driving. Whisnant was awaiting trial on charges of breaking and entering, hit and run, and several traffic violations.
Ralph “Lee” McCubbins Jr.
December 26, 2013 –
Ralph “Lee” McCubbins, Jr., 43, of Danville, VA died December 26, 2013 in Afghanistan while working for Pax Mondial contractors.
