We strongly urge all internet viewers to frequently visit the "In the News" page. This page will be updated anytime an important notice needs publishing. Community involvement has always played a vital role with Law Enforcement Agencies and these pages are designed to keep you, our citizens, aware of the activity around us. "In the News" pages will contain information about criminal activity in and around our area, both solved and unsolved.

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  Press Release
Homicide Investigation 

The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation into the homicide of Silvia Benetez Morales that occurred on March 3, 2008 at 1273 Black Creek Road, Fremont, North Carolina.  Mrs. Morales was killed in her home while her 3 year old son was present in the residence.

The Sheriff’s Office has been actively investigating this incident and is waiting on results of items that have been submitted to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Laboratory to be examined for evidence.

A reward has been offered in the amount of $11,000.00 above what Crimestoppers will pay for information that leads to the arrest of the person responsible for this act. This includes $5,000.00 that was contributed by a citizen requesting to remain anonymous.

PRESS RELEASE NORTH CAROLINA LINX

(THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION EXCHANGE) 

On May 13, 2008, the heads of approximately 20 local and state law enforcement agencies met on the deck of the USS NORTH CAROLINA in Wilmington, North Carolina at 11:00a.m. for a historic signing ceremony. The charter signing was of the Memorandum of Understanding to establish the North Carolina LinX. The Linx system is the Law Enforcement Information Exchange that is managed by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Linx has been established in eight other states that include Texas, Washington, Virginia, Maryland, New Mexico and Hawaii. The District of Columbia has also initiated Linx and the Linx project is being developed in California.           

The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Goldsboro Police Department are Charter members of the North Carolina Linx program. Sheriff C. A. Winders and Chief T. J. Bell were present in Wilmington for the historic signing.           

 Linx combines law enforcement records from the participating agencies to make them available for data searches. Following September 11, 2001, the 9-11 Commission Report noted that poor information among law enforcement agencies was one of the largest failures leading up to the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Linx addresses this problem and dramatically improves the sharing of information by area law enforcement which helps improve public safety and an increased quality of life for an entire region.            

Criminals routinely cross state and local boundaries regularly without giving it a second thought. That movement has hampered law enforcement agencies which have struggled to use each others information to reduce crime. Linx gives the law enforcement agencies a sharing tool to identify suspects, improve public safety and support homeland security.            

Sheriff Carey Winders and Chief Tim Bell state that they are excited about the prospect of having this new tool since it will give both agencies a direct connect to agencies outside our county through a data base. Both department heads express their appreciation to the NCIS for the opportunity to be a part of this program. The program is provided to the participating agencies at no cost to them.

The agencies involved in the charter signing for North Carolina with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Goldsboro Police Department are  the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, Carteret County Sheriff’s Office, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Fayetteville Police Department, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, Havelock Police Department, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, Morehead City Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, New Bern Police Department, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, NC State Bureau of Investigation, NC State Highway Patrol, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, Richlands Police Department and the Wilmington Police Department.