North Carolina Man Kills Grandmother, Burns Down Her Home, and Stabs Deputy at Bojangles Before Fleeing: Authorities
VANCEBORO, NORTH CAROLINA — A statewide manhunt is underway after a 24-year-old man allegedly killed his grandmother, set her house on fire, and stabbed a sheriff’s deputy in the bathroom of a Bojangles restaurant before escaping into the woods, authorities said.
The suspect, Dominic Connelly, is wanted on multiple felony charges, including murder, first-degree arson, attempted first-degree murder, assault on a law enforcement officer, and vehicle theft, according to the Craven County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim has been identified as 72-year-old Patricia Lopedote, who was found dead inside her burned home in Havelock, North Carolina.
House Fire Leads to Gruesome Discovery
The investigation began on Saturday when firefighters and deputies responded to a home engulfed in flames along North Carolina Highway 101 in Havelock, a small city near the Neuse River.
When the fire was extinguished, responders found Lopedote’s body inside the residence. Authorities said her death was being investigated as a homicide after evidence suggested foul play.
Her vehicle was missing from the property, prompting a regional alert. Days later, investigators found the car abandoned in New Bern, about 19 miles away.
Deputy Stabbed in Bojangles Bathroom
By Wednesday, Connelly had been identified as the prime suspect. Later that day, a tip came in that he was spotted at a Bojangles restaurant in Vanceboro, roughly 20 miles north of New Bern.
Deputies rushed to the scene and found Connelly hiding in the restaurant bathroom — but the encounter turned violent.
“When deputies entered, Connelly used a knife to assault a deputy before fleeing the restaurant on foot,” the sheriff’s office confirmed.
The deputy was stabbed during the confrontation and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. His injuries were reported as serious but non-life-threatening.
Connelly then ran toward the Bailey Lane Apartments, dressed in dark clothing, and vanished into nearby wooded areas, officials said.
Massive Manhunt Underway
Law enforcement agencies from across Craven County — including state troopers, K-9 units, and drone teams — have joined the search.
Authorities warned residents not to approach Connelly, who is considered armed and dangerous.
“We are urging the public to remain indoors and contact 911 immediately if they spot him,” Sheriff Chip Hughes said. “Do not engage.”
Local schools in Vanceboro and New Bern were closed Thursday as a precaution due to what officials called an ongoing emergency situation.
Community in Shock
The violent sequence — from a family killing to an arson and a deputy stabbing — has left the tight-knit eastern North Carolina community reeling.
“It’s terrifying,” one Vanceboro resident told WCTI News. “To think someone could do that to their own grandmother and then attack an officer — it just breaks your heart.”
Authorities have not yet released a motive, but investigators believe Connelly acted alone.
He remains at large as of Thursday night.
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