By Bob High
Staff Writer

A 34-year-old former Chadbourn resident, Danny Lamont Thomas, was formally indicted here Wednesday by a regular grand jury on numerous counts charging him with the 2005 murders of four county residents and two major assault cases.

Thomas, who attended West Columbus High School in the late 1980s, is charged with the Nov. 5, 2005 triple killings of Ivery Dennis Inman, 40; Regina Renee Dossie Inman, 33, Dennis Inman’s wife of less than two weeks; and Regina Inman’s brother, Anthony “Goofy” Martin, 35.

The defendant was taken to District Court early today (Thursday) where he was formally arraigned on the numerous indictments. He was brought to Columbus County Wednesday from Durham where he was being held on a murder charge from an unrelated July 2005 incident in Durham.

The Inman couple and Martin were killed by pistol shots in the Inman home along Dessie Road south of Chadbourn. It is believed robbery was the motive.

Thomas is also charged with the Sept. 10, 2005 murder of Craig Lesand Williams, 35, who had addresses of Mt. Olive School Road, Clarkton, and Wade Smith Circle off Georgia Pacific Road between Chadbourn and Whiteville.

Two assault cases

Williams was killed outside his girlfriend’s home as he searched for money to give to two masked gunmen.

Assault cases in a Tabor City home in August 2005, and in a Chadbourn home in December 2005 are also included in separate indictments against Thomas.

“I’m proud to announce the indictments against Danny Lamont Thomas. We never stopped working on the cases. It seemed we would get some scrap of evidence almost every week,” Sheriff Chris Batten said.

“We met with members of the various victims’ families Tuesday and told them what was happening. All of them were very relieved that the long process of getting enough evidence to make the arrest was over,” the sheriff added.

“All of the families understand that our process was slow, but deliberate. We had to collect evidence that would be presented in his cases that would be so strong there wouldn’t be a reasonable doubt to be believed.

“I told the families that what we’ve done proves to them we didn’t forget them,” Batten continued.

Death penalty cases

“The DA’s office and I agree that Danny Lamont Thomas is to be tried for his life. We believe he’s a cold-blooded killer and he needs to have the death penalty process hanging over his head,” Batten stated with a firm voice.

Batten said detectives from his staff, led by Sgt. David Nobles, worked continually with SBI agents, led by Mac Warner, to gather sufficient evidence to make the arrests.

“All of our evidence has been reviewed by the DA’s office, and the acceptance of the evidence allowed us to move in these cases,” the sheriff noted.

“I want to make special mention again of the work David Nobles and Mac Warner did in these cases. It was never out of their minds. And, I want to thank the DA’s staff, particularly Lee Bollinger, for his assistance.”

Batten also pointed out that the investigation continues in the many cases where Thomas is charged. “We’re asking for anyone with information about these cases to come forward.

“We’re well aware that Thomas wasn’t the only one involved in some of the crimes, but we’re not sure that just one other person was with him.

“We’re asking for people to call us with any scrap of information they might have about these cases. They should call 642-6551 or 9-1-1, and a detective will be in touch with them,” Batten said.

Knife, gun attacks

Thomas, a native of New York City, has been indicted for the vicious slashing and stabbing attack on Terrance Keith Rowell, 23, of Tabor City on Aug. 20, 2005.

Rowell was found in his home along Jeanie Lane off Old Stake Road after he had been slashed and stabbed more than 30 times.

A sheriff’s report noted entry to Rowell’s home was forced between 2:30 and 3:15 a.m. After Rowell’s attacker left the premises, Rowell somehow managed to walk about 50 feet to a neighbor’s home.

It is thought a box cutter was used to maim Rowell. One chest cut exposed his breastbone, and the victim spent seven hours in surgery.

Another home invasion took place on Dec. 26, 2004. Reports show Antonio Lamon McFadden, 27, and his girlfriend, Shekiva Danielle Hastings, 24, were in their home along Hunter Avenue, Chadbourn, when they were awakened at 3:45 a.m.

Reports show McFadden heard “three loud pops,” grabbed his pistol and ran from the bedroom to where he saw a man wearing a white mask in the living room.

The invader was standing over Hastings and McFadden began firing his pistol. It is not known if the invader was struck by any of McFadden’s bullets.

Hastings was injured above her left eye in the incident, and her mother Shelby Hastings was hurt when she was struck by one of the bullets fired in the home.