Daughter arrested, charged with 1st-degree murder in Black Mountain mother's death

ASHEVILLE - The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office has charged the daughter of a homicide victim with first-degree murder, according to an updated news release Aug. 23.

On Aug. 22, Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a wellness check at 23 Clarks Crossing Way in the Broad River area of Black Mountain. Upon arrival, deputies found Lori Pallinger, 63, of Black Mountain, deceased.

Following an investigation, the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office has charged Pallinger's daughter, Danya Kathryn Dewey, 39, of Black Mountain, with first-degree murder. Dewey has been placed in the Buncombe County Detention Facility with no bond.

A previous news release Aug. 22 asked the public to be on the lookout for Dewey, who was suspected to be driving a silver 2015 Subaru Outback with a North Carolina license plate.

Asheville Police Department officers and sheriff deputies apprehended Dewey in Asheville's city limits, according to Chief Deputy Herbert Blake. An exact location and time of Dewey's arrest was not provided, but information attached to her incident report on the sheriff's police-to-citizen website lists the 100 block of Vivian Street Aug. 23 at 9:50 a.m.

"The vehicle was located by APD patrol officers," sheriff spokesperson Christina Esmay told the Citizen Times Aug. 23. "She was identified to be in the vehicle and refused to exit on command."

APD's Crisis Negotiation Team "was able to deescalate the situation and convince her to exit the vehicle. She was taken into custody without incident," Esmay added.

Dewey has an upcoming court date of Aug. 26, according to court records. Her arrest warrant states Dewey "unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did of malice aforethought kill and murder" Pallinger. No weapons or manner of death is included in the warrant. The Citizen Times has asked the sheriff's office about any injuries Pallinger sustained that may have contributed to her death.

"Thank you to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Response Team and the Asheville Police Department Crisis Negotiation Team for their pivotal work in the apprehension of Danya Dewey," the Aug. 23 release said.

"As the investigation is ongoing, we do not have any additional information to release at this time."

This story will be updated.

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Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Daughter arrested, charged with 1st-degree murder in Black Mountain mother's death