Havelock man pleads guilty to murder in Emerald Isle, sentenced to life without parole
A man from Havelock pled guilty to murder and arson on Monday and was later sentenced to a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Craven County District Attorney Scott Thomas announced that Patrick Keith Reich Whitley, 28, of Havelock pled guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree arson in Carteret County Superior Court.
Following the verdict, Superior Court Judge Thomas R. Wilson sentenced Whitley to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“I appreciate the great work of ADAs Ashley Eatmon, David Spence, Legal Assistant Michelle Gillikin and the entire prosecution and law enforcement team on this case," Thomas said. "Their preparation and presentation led to the defendant pleading guilty prior to the close of the state’s case."
Whitley was on trial for the Jan. 9, 2020 murder of Carl Jones, Jr. in Emerald Isle.
The investigation of the case began after Whitley called 911 and reported that someone had come to his house and thrown a bottle of gasoline inside the residence, prompting him to shoot them in self-defense, according to a news release from the Fourth Prosecutorial District.
When police and fire personnel responded, they located the body of Jones inside the burning home. North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation fire investigators ruled the fire as incendiary, and investigation revealed that Jones had been shot four times in the neck and torso area.
Officers at the scene located several Molotov cocktails throughout the residence, and eight spent shell casings consistent with a firearm owned by Whitley.
Witnesses and surveillance video indicated that Jones, who previously worked for Whitley, had been dropped off at the residence to pick up a paycheck. Jones did not possess any flammable liquids when he arrived, and that multiple gunshots were heard coming from the area of the residence a short time after Jones’ arrival.
Officers obtained arrest warrants charging Whitley with Jones’ murder on January 15, 2020. Whitley was later taken into custody by agents with the United States Marshals Service in Corpus Christi, TX and initially pled not guilty.
Prosecutors presented 14 witnesses and 78 pieces of evidence over five days during a trial that began July 11 before Whitley changed his plea to guilty Monday morning.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ashley N. Eatmon, with assistance from Assistant District Attorney David L. Spence, District Attorney Legal Assistant Michelle D. Gillikin, and legal interns Emily Harvey and William Bartlett.
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This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Havelock man pleads guilty to murder, sentenced to life without parole
