Rashed Jones

By BOB HIGH
Staff Writer

The body of a 14-year-old Whiteville boy missing since Nov. 19 was found Wednesday afternoon by a hunter in a wooded area south of Hallsboro, according to an announcement by a local funeral home.

Sheriff Chris Batten, however, would not confirm the identity of the body pending an autopsy today (Thursday).

Rashed Delamez Jones of Thompson Town Road was last seen by his family on Monday of Thanksgiving week on a bicycle leaving his grandmother’s home along Stanley Circle southeast of Whiteville.

There were rumors swirling Wednesday night that Jones was present at a shooting at Lake Waccamaw on Sept. 21 in which a Chadbourn man was killed and two others wounded.

The rumors said Jones’ disappearance was linked to reports he was killed to silence him about facts in the shooting incident thought to have been as a result of gang violence.

Lake Waccamaw Police Chief Scott Hyatt would not comment on the report. Batten said the Lake Waccamaw shooting was not a matter for his detectives to investigate and he would rather not speculate about the rumors.

“The clothing on the body is similar to that Jones was described to be wearing when last seen,” Batten said at the scene Wednesday night.

The partially decomposed body was sent today to the State Medical Examiner’s offices in Chapel Hill for an autopsy. Batten said the cause of death is not clear, and the autopsy should provide positive information.

Information crucial

Batten said there are very few leads in the disappearance and death of Jones. “This is a case where we need information from the public. It’s crucial for us to be told about this case.”

A hunter, Thomas Earl Ward of Lake Waccamaw, discovered the body about 75 feet in the woods off Barney Tyler Road, a dirt road that runs from Honey Hill Road to Hallsboro Road, four miles south of Hallsboro.

Ward went to the location to spread some corn for deer in the wooded area where he and his family normally hunt. Reports show Ward was making last in the area about 10 days ago.

Jones was wearing a tee shirt, a black hoodie, jeans and Timberland boots or bedroom slippers when last seen on the warm afternoon of Nov. 19. His bicycle was found Thanksgiving Day along a road in South Whiteville.

Jones’ mother, Mabalene Moody of Thompson Town Road, reported the Whiteville High School freshman missing late on Nov. 19 to the Sheriff’s Office. The CUE Center for Missing Persons in Wilmington became involved in the search the same week.

Investigated leads

Batten said Detective Susan Smith spent part of every day since Jones went missing working the case. “She and other detectives ran down every lead we had. There were some reports that he was seen in Whiteville several times, but we could never confirm the sightings,” the sheriff pointed out.

Batten said he would ask today for Gov. Mike Easley to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for Jones’ death.

The sheriff stressed repeatedly that anyone with information about the case is asked to contact his office at 642-6551 or call 9-1-1.

Connail Reaves, 18, of Whiteville, was arrested Nov. 7 by Hyatt on a charge of murder in the drive-by shooting death of Darnell Antonio Frink, 22, of Chadbourn, plus the wounding of two other males.

Hyatt said his investigation into the incident following the Whiteville-East Columbus football game was continuing. He said last month there were many conflicting reports about who was in the car when more than 20 shots were fired at a crowd of people outside the Sam’s Pit Stop convenience store.