Man’s body found in river
ID’d as Honduran worker
The body of a homicide victim found in the French Broad River on July 20 was later identified as Neptali Hernandez Guervara, 24, a Honduran worker living in East Asheville.
Guervara’s body was found by a fisherman about 10 a.m. July 20 in an area on the river commonly known as Sandy Bottoms. The Skyland Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched to the scene.
The riverside park along Brevard Road in the Bent Creek area was closed July 20 as investigators examined the body and the scene.
No identification was found on the body, but Guevara was identifiedafter Buncombe County sheriff’s investigators visited — and receivednecessary information from — area Hispanic businesses and restaurants.
Investigators think Guevara was killed and his body dumped inthe river a few feet off the riverbank, where the body remained for 12to 16 hours.
Officials said they do not feel there is a safety issue at thepark. They also said they believe that the victim was familiar with thesuspect.
The body was clad in blue jeans and a red, white and bluestriped shirt, with a well-manicured, thin beard. The body was sent foran autopsy to medical examiners on July 22.
Guevara shared a mobile home at 50 Eastover Road with severalother workers. He was originally from Honduras, but his immigrationstatus has not been determined, officials said. Investigatorsreportedly have some leads, but have not named a suspect in the case.Anyone with information on the case is being asked to call 255-5555.
Girl last seen in downtown Asheville reported missing
Authorities in Morganton are looking for a girl last seen in downtown Asheville over the July 18-20 weekend.
Jessica Renee Hall, 17, of Morganton left home with friends July 13, Morganton police said.
She was seen in Pritchard Park the same day and then at another time over the weekend elsewhere in downtown Asheville.
Initially, her status was deemed a runaway, but since she failedto contact her family for a long period, suspicions were raised.
Hall was described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and 110 pounds, with naturally blonde hair and blue eyes.
She is known as “Cecilia,” “Skittles,” “Toes” and “Bear.”
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call theMorganton Department of Public Safety at 428-5390 or the AshevillePolice Department at 259-5910.
Experts detonate explosive
device at Wal-Mart in Boone
BOONE — An explosive device found at the Boone Wal-Martstore on July 20 was detonated by a bomb squad and resulted in noinjuries, Boone police reported.
A follow-up investigation indicated the bomb likely was placedby a young male, but no suspects were named and no arrests have beenmade, police said July 22.
The device was found about 5:40 a.m. at the front entrance of Wal-Mart on Blowing Rock Road by an employee, officials reported.
The store was evacuated for about five hours, while a bomb squadfrom Wilkes County was called in to examine it. Officials declined todescribed the device, other than to say it was dangerous and,therefore, was detonated.
‘Connie-Mara’ decorative
goat found; three charged
HENDERSONVILLE — Three people were charged with theft on July17, following the recovery of “Connie-Mara,” a decorative downtown goatfunded by the Friends of the Carl Sandburg Home.
The goat, stolen around June 29, was one of two recently reported missing and recovered.
“Connie-Mara” was returned July 17 to its owners, but with itstwo hind legs broken off, resulting in damage to its hindquarters.
Damage repair estimates are being sought by DowntownHendersonville Inc. The DHI also is considering just doing minorrepairs and camouflaging the damage, or hiring the artist to completelyredo the project.
The downtown area features a number of decorative goats, each of which costs its sponsor $650 before painting.
However, DWI officials fear the project could get expensivebecause artist Joanie Covell, commissioned by the Friends of the CarlSandburg Home, is well-known regionally and nationally.
Hendersonville police officer Aaron Lisenbee recovered thestolen goat through interviews he conducted and tips he received. Thegoat was retrieved from a home on Ledbetter Road in Arden.
Meanwhile, two Hendersonville men and one Arden man were charged in connection with the decorative goat theft.
Jonathan Owen, 21, of Hendersonville was charged with felony aiding, abetting larceny and accessory after the fact.
Thomas Hernandez, 19, of Arden was charged with felony larceny.
Christopher Hernandez, 22, of Hendersonville was charged with accessory after the fact of larceny.
The three suspects were released on bond.
The other missing goat, “Mountain Goat,” was recovered earlierin July and resulted in the arrest of teenagers, who toldHendersonville police that they stole it to keep as a trophy.
Arrested in the earlier case were Andrew Jonathan Bloomfield,19, of Dunroy Drive, Hendersonville; and Aaron Ransom Bradley, 19, of4793 Howard Gap Road, Saluda. The teenagers were charged with larcenyand damage to property.
The “Kidding Around Downtown” public arts display recentlyreplaced decorative downtown bears, which had graced Main Streetsidewalks for five years.
The motif of the goats was inspired by Lilian Sandburg, wife ofCarl Sandburg, the famous poet, biographer of Abraham Lincoln andwriter about Chicago.
She raised and bred internationally famous goats at the Sandburg estate, Connemara, in the Village of Flat Rock.
The goats, which also help to celebrate the 40th anniversary ofthe Carl Sandburg Home becoming a national park, will remain on displayin downtown Hendersonville through Oct. 25. Then, a public auction willbe held, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Henderson Countycharities.
Leads sought in midday
home invasion, robbery
Asheville police are seeking leads in a midday July 18 homeinvasion and robbery in which three boys — ages 11-13 and alone intheir parents’ South Asheville home — were held at gunpoint with theirhands bound and mouths taped shut.
In the aftermath, suspicions have been raised by investigatorsand family members that the three male suspects must have been familiarwith the residence and the family’s habits, based on the timing of thecrime and their knowledge of where the valuables were kept.
The suspects entered the Bevlyn Drive home via a basem*nt door.There was no evidence of forced entry, police noted. The residence islocated in the Oak Forest subdivision near Roberson High School.
Taken from the home of Mike Gong and Fang Lin were money,jewelry, computer equipment and passport documents. The value of themoney and items taken was about $40,000, according to a relative.
The boys — Gong’s son and his two cousins visiting from New York — were not injured in the incident.
Moreover, they were able to free themselves and call police.
The owner of the residence also owns some area Asianrestaurants, which were not identified by police. He reportedly wastraveling in China at the time of the incident.
The suspects reportedly were dressed in blue jean shorts andblack-and-red T-shirts — and wore Latex gloves. The lower portion oftheir faces was covered with bandannas, but the boys said they appearedto be of Asian descent. The men, described as being in the 20s or 30s,left in a black sport utility vehicle.
The incident has not been linked to any gangs, police reported.
The home invasion was the second reported in the city within three days, but police believe the two incidents were unrelated.
In the earlier case, two young men wearing bandannas over theirfaces broke into a man’s Post Road apartment in West Asheville about3:20 p.m. July 16.
The assailants reportedly assaulted the man, held a kitchenknife to his throat and stole cash and medication belonging to twowomen at the apartment.
Anyone with information on the case is being asked to callAsheville police at 252-1110 or Asheville-Buncombe CrimeStoppers at255-5050.
Merrimon Avenue robbery
of man on moped probed
Asheville police are probing a robbery reported on Merrimon Avenue over the weekend of July 11-13.
A 24-year-old Florida man told police he was robbed by three people about 10 p.m. July 11 in the 1400 block of Merrimon Avenue.
The man said his moped had stalled when the assailantsapproached him, struck him in the face and stole his money. The manrefused medical treatment.
N.C. OKs $10,000 payment
for trooper’s funeral costs
RALEIGH — The General Assembly unanimously agreed on July 18 toauthorize $10,000 for the funeral of a state trooper shot to deathduring a Haywood County traffic stop.
David Shawn Blanton Jr., 24, died June 17, leaving behind his wife Michaela and a newborn son, Tye.
The survivors reportedly owe more than $13,000 for funeralarrangements. Benefits from workers’ compensation and crime-victimsassistance were insufficient to cover the costs.
Wells Funeral Home in Canton handled the arrangements, whichincluded cemetery fees, newspaper obituaries and other funeral-relatedbills.
Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, which hosted a memorial service, donated all of its services.
Dental eceptionist faces
embezzlement, drug charges
MARS HILL — A receptionist at a Mars Hill dental office wasarrested on July 16 and charged with embezzlement and distributingcontrolled substances from her former place of employment.
Anita Michelle Reed, 38, of Mars Hill was charged with fourcounts of felony embezzlement and felony distribution and dispensing ofhydrocodone. The embezzlement involved $3,400 in cash.
Her employers, Drs. Reese Steen and his daughter, McKenzieSnider, reportedly asked law enforcement officials to investigate afteran internal audit revealed discrepancies in their books.
Reed faces charges of having called in at least 15 prescriptionsfor family and friends during the nearly one year of employment. Shewas released on an $8,200 unsecured bond. Her court date is set forAug. 5.
Police probing shooting
of man at Pisgah View
Asheville police are investigating the shooting of a man in the abdomen early July 16 outside a Pisgah View Apartments building.
Officers, who were probing an argument at the public housingcomplex about 1 p.m., found a crowd in the street and heard gunfirewhile making arrests of four people on drunk and disruptive charges.
They found a man near Building 24 with a gunshot wound in his abdomen and a grazing wound on his cheek.
The injuries to the victim, who could not identify his attacker, did not appear life-threatening, police noted.
Puppy valued at $1,300
stolen from Exotic Pets
ARDEN — A bull terrier puppy, valued at $1,300, was stolen from Exotic Pets in Arden on July 15.
The eight-week-old male puppy is white with black spots and has a checkboard patten on its nose.
Anyone with information is being asked to call Roger Chipman ofExotic Pets at 684-1004, or the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department at255-5555.
‘Connie-Mara’ decorative
goat found; three charged
HENDERSONVILLE — Three people were charged with theft on July 17, following the recovery of “Connie-Mara,” a decorative downtown goat funded by the Friends of the Carl Sandburg Home.
The goat, stolen around June 29, was one of two recently reported missing and recovered.
“Connie-Mara” was returned July 17 to its owners, but with its two hind legs broken off, resulting in damage to its hindquarters.
Damage repair estimates are being sought by Downtown Hendersonville Inc. The DHI also is considering just doing minor repairs and camouflaging the damage, or hiring the artist to completely redo the project.
The downtown area features a number of decorative goats, each of which costs its sponsor $650 before painting.
However, DWI officials fear the project could get expensive because artist Joanie Covell, commissioned by the Friends of the Carl Sandburg Home, is well-known regionally and nationally.
Hendersonville police officer Aaron Lisenbee recovered the stolen goat through interviews he conducted and tips he received. The goat was retrieved from a home on Ledbetter Road in Arden.
Meanwhile, two Hendersonville men and one Arden man were charged in connection with the decorative goat theft.
Jonathan Owen, 21, of Hendersonville was charged with felony aiding, abetting larceny and accessory after the fact.
Thomas Hernandez, 19, of Arden was charged with felony larceny.
Christopher Hernandez, 22, of Hendersonville was charged with accessory after the fact of larceny.
The three suspects were released on bond.
The other missing goat, “Mountain Goat,” was recovered earlier in July and resulted in the arrest of teenagers, who told Hendersonville police that they stole it to keep as a trophy.
Arrested in the earlier case were Andrew Jonathan Bloomfield, 19, of Dunroy Drive, Hendersonville; and Aaron Ransom Bradley, 19, of 4793 Howard Gap Road, Saluda. The teenagers were charged with larceny and damage to property.
The “Kidding Around Downtown” public arts display recently replaced decorative downtown bears, which had graced Main Street sidewalks for five years.
The motif of the goats was inspired by Lilian Sandburg, wife of Carl Sandburg, the famous poet, biographer of Abraham Lincoln and writer about Chicago.
She raised and bred internationally famous goats at the Sandburg estate, Connemara, in the Village of Flat Rock.
The goats, which also help to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Carl Sandburg Home becoming a national park, will remain on display in downtown Hendersonville through Oct. 25. Then, a public auction will be held, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Henderson County charities.
