Sheriff’s office asking for assistance in unsolved murders through crime stoppers program

ROWAN COUNTY — The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office is asking for assistance with unsolved homicides throughout the county, pointing to the recently-restarted Crime Stoppers as a way that residents could provide assistance safely and anonymously.

The local crime stoppers board had been in operation for almost three decades when it was forced to shut down during the COVID pandemic due to personnel and funding issues. The new iteration of the board is chaired by former China Grove Town Manager Ken Deal with David Whisenant serving as vice-chairman.

The board was restarted at the request of Captain Mark McDaniel with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, who has worked alongside the board to help it get started as it works to become fully self-sustaining. Once that goal is reached, Lieutenant Ryan Barkley will serve as the liaison from the sheriff’s office to the independent board.

“The sheriff’s office hopes that having Crime Stoppers operational again will help bring resolution to unsolved cases, such as murders. The sheriff’s office alone has five unsolved murders that Crime Stoppers could be used to help make arrests in,” read a news release from the sheriff’s office.

Anyone who wishes to submit a tip can call the tip hotline at 1-866-639-5245 or report it by computer by going to www.rowancrimestoppers.org and clicking on the “Submit a Tip” button.

The five cases that the sheriff’s office is focusing on all occurred between 2018 and 2023.

Mariah Nicole Turner, 27, was shot and killed at her home on North Long Street in Salisbury on June 24, 2017. The person who killed Turner left the scene prior to officers arriving and investigators are looking for any information on the people responsible, according to the release.

April Elesha Whitley , 33, was shot at a home on Gheen Road after parking her vehicle in the driveway on May 18, 2021. As people began to exit the vehicle, a person jumped out of a nearby ditch and began shooting at the vehicle, hitting Whitley in the chest. Investigators are continuing to follow leads about the shooter’s identity, according to the release.

David Kenneth Land , 52, was shot and killed in his home at Poole Road on July 20, 2022. An associate of Land found his body at approximately 5 p.m. on that day and called 911.

Michael James Mitchke , 56, was found dead inside of a burning camper by firefighters on Aug. 21, 2022. An investigation later discovered that Mitchke died from gunshot injuries before the fire was started, causing the sheriff’s office to rule it a homicide.

Otha Keith Sherill , 49, was shot and killed while driving on Jake Alexander Boulevard near the Harrison Road intersection. Sherrill was killed by a shooter in another car, according to the release.

The Salisbury Police Department is also asking for assistance with multiple unsolved homicides, dating back to 2016 and including the killing of 7-year-old A’yanna Allen.

Eunice Anita Vannoy, 62, was killed when people forced entry into her home on South Jackson Street and shot her in 2021.

Bobby Eugene Simpson , 63, was found beaten and shot inside of a vacant house that he was occupying in the 700 block of Grace Street in 2021.

Dante Lamonte Smith , 34, was shot and killed during a potential robbery at his home in 2021. Images of a possible suspect that were released at the time showed the silhouette of a person walking down Innes Street.

Debra Green Brumley , 61, and Jonathan Brumley, 38, were both found stabbed to death in their home on Lincolnton Road in 2020.

Xavier Nathaniel Gibbs, 17, was shot and killed by someone who approached him while Gibbs was standing outside of his vehicle on Laurel Pointe Circle in 2020.

A’yanna Allen , 7, was shot and killed while sleeping in her grandmother’s bed in 2016. Police at the time said that the shooting originated from outside of the home. The killing of Allen was linked to the shooting of Sharod Raheen Mathis, who was found dead the same day in the parking lot of the former Firewater Restaurant and Bar on Avalon Drive.

April Cora-Lucille Hall , 38, was shot and killed while outside of a residence she was in the process of moving into on West 11th Street in 2016.

Reggie Jasmond Burke , 30, was shot and killed in a wooded area near the Zion Hills Apartment complex in 2016.

All of the cold cases in Salisbury can be found at https://salisburync.gov/Government/Police/Cold-Cases and all of the cold cases in the county can be found at https://www.rowancountync.gov/545/Cold-Cases.

“These cases and others alike are examples of the need for programs like Crime Stoppers. Anyone wishing to submit a tip on a crime can do so by calling the tip hotline (1-866-639-5245) or visiting www.rowancrimestoppers.org and reporting it online. Their personal information will remain confidential, and it could result in a reward,” wrote the sheriff’s office in the release.

Crime stoppers is partnered with every law enforcement agency in Rowan County, which includes the sheriff’s office and the Salisbury, Kannapolis, Spencer, East Spencer, Rockwell, Granite Quarry-Faith, Cleveland, China Grove and Landis police departments. Any tips submitted that fall under those jurisdictions will be submitted to the correct department.

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