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October 18, 2012

Pinetops man charged with plotting to kill Pitt County Sheriff

CORRESPONDENT Van Holland

TARBORO — A 23-year old Pinetops man incarcerated in the Pitt County Detention Center in connection with five execution-style murders faces additional charges for plotting to have three more people killed, including the Pitt County sheriff.

Officials say Willie Odell Whitehead, Jr. plotted with another inmate and individuals outside the jail to have Sheriff Neil Elks, his wife Connie, who is a detective with the department, and a child of an assistant district attorney kidnapped and killed.

Whitehead is said to have masterminded the plot because he thought it would help gain his freedom.

According to published reports, Pitt County Sheriff's Capt. Paula Dance said Elks is very concerned for the safety of his family.

"We know as officers of the court that those are things that we sometimes have to deal with," Dance said. "It kind of steps up your game when your family is threatened, especially your children."

Whitehead is being held without bond after he and four others were charged with the April 1 murders of three employees of the Hustle Mart in Farmville. The victims were murdered execution style during the course of an armed robbery.

In addition, Whitehead and another man have a pair of first degree murder charges pending in Edgecombe County in connection with the March 18 murders of killing Quantellis Carr and Jasmine Chesson in their Princeville home. Police say Carr and Chesson were also killed execution style.

In a third case, Whitehead faces charges of first degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury in Edgecombe County.

Whitehead has been in and out of prison since 2004, when he was 14 and convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He served a year-and-a-half on that charge before being released on parole. Shortly thereafter, his parole was revoked and he served an additional nine months.

In 2006, he was convicted for robbery with a dangerous weapon, serving 22 months. Then, in 2009, he was convicted on larceny after breaking and entering, possessing stolen goods and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was released in August 2011.



















Tuesday's charges were brought against Whitehead after he communicated his plans to other inmates and individuals outside the jail. One of the individuals outside the jail reported the plot to law enforcement, resulting in the investigation.

Dance said they took the threats very seriously and steps were taken to protect those targeted in the scheme.

Dance said the department is doing a very thorough investigation to make sure that this plot is not carried out.





Whitehead made his first court appearance Wednesday on the new charges and his bail was set at $5 million for those charges.

 

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