By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff writer

A former Chadbourn man made his first court appearance in Whiteville Thursday on a string of felony charges – including four counts of first-degree murder. He was moved the same day to a facility out of Columbus County for his safety.

Danny Lamont Thomas, 34, was brought to the Columbus County Courthouse amidst heavy security Thursday. He was brought by law enforcement to this county from Durham, where he was awaiting trial on murder and robbery charges there. A grand jury indicted Thomas on a laundry list of felonies Wednesday.

Columbus County Sheriff Chris Batten and District Attorney Rex Gore made the announcement Thursday in a press conference on the courthouse steps.

Wearing a bulletproof vest and restraints in the courtroom, Thomas acknowledged the charges against him, and asked for a court appointed attorney. Gore said Thomas will most likely be represented by a lawyer in the state’s court appointed capital case system.

Thomas was ordered held under no bond. He will face the death penalty, Gore said.

From the start

Batten said Thomas was a suspect from the beginning of the crime spree. The defendant has a history of run-ins with local law enforcement, as well as authorities in Wake and Durham counties.

“The evidence has always pointed to Thomas,” he said.

Gore said the four capital murder charges were a first for the county.

“This man is one of our worst criminals,” Gore said.

While Gore said authorities “are confident the public is safer with Thomas under arrest,” Batten said Thomas’ partners in crime are “still out there.”

Authorities tightened security in and around the courthouse out of concerns that Thomas’ former associates might attempt to harm him during the appearance.

Batten said a $5,000 reward is being offered by the governor’s office for information leading to the arrest and conviction of other suspects in the case.

“We know his accomplices are out there,” the sheriff said.

Eleven months

Thomas’ local indictments are for crimes committed over an 11-month period in the county. In each case, Gore said, the crimes started with a robbery or robbery attempt.

Thomas is charged with a total of 16 felony charges, including four for first degree murder. He was also charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury; assault with a deadly weapon; attempted murder; kidnapping; first degree burglary; armed robbery; burglary with intent to commit murder; breaking and entering; and attempted robbery.

Topping the list of crimes were the indictments for the murders of Craig Lesand Williams, Anthony “Goofy” Martin, Ivery Dennis Inman and Regina Dossie Inman.

Williams was killed and his girlfriend Centia McLeod injured on Sept. 10, 2005. Thomas allegedly went to 72 Wade Smith Circle off Georgia Pacific Road to rob Williams. A fight ensued, and Williams was shot. McLeod was robbed of her keys and automobile.

The Inmans were married only a short while before someone broke into their home and shot the couple and Martin during a burglary on Nov. 5, 2005. The Inmans lived off Dessie Road near Chadbourn. Martin was Mrs. Inman’s brother.

In the other cases, Thomas is charged with breaking into the home of Terrance Rowell near Tabor City on Aug. 20, 2005. In that case, Rowell was slashed and cut over two dozen times, and bound with duct tape.

The first case in the string of crimes occurred on the day after Christmas in 2004.

According to the indictment, Thomas was one of at least two men who broke into a home near Chadbourn, and assaulted Antonio McFadden, Shekiva Hastings and Shelby Hastings. In that case, Thomas was charged with attempting to kill McFadden and Shelby Hastings, and seriously injuring Shelby and Shekiva Hastings.

More cases pending

Thomas was brought to Columbus County from the Durham County Jail, where he was awaiting trial for another murder.

Thomas was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Colorado Springs, Colo., in December 2005 for the July 2005 murder of Joseph Ralph in Durham. Batten and Gore said information developed during local investigations led in part to that arrest. They did not elaborate.

Thomas engaged Colorado authorities in a brief standoff. He was captured when police fired a tear gas canister into his hideout after negotiations failed, according to published reports.

In the Durham case, Charles Everett Hightower of Durham and Velehia Wakenda Williams of Chapel Hill are also being held pending trial for Ralph’s murder.

Batten said Thomas may still figure into other cases still being investigated.

“We are asking anyone with any possible information to call the sheriff’s department,” he said.

Gore praised the work of the sheriff’s department, the State Bureau of Investigation, and other law agencies in bringing Thomas into custody.

“These agencies have worked closely with the district attorney’s office to build this case,” Gore said. “It is a fine example of cooperative law enforcement.”

Anyone with information about other suspects in the case is asked to call 642-6551 to speak to a detective, Batten said.

“We need the public’s assistance to get these dangerous criminals off the streets,” Batten said.