VOLUME 9 ISSUE 22 | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024
DUPLINJOURNAL.COM
Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
inside Lettuce seedlings of two varieties grow at the James Sprunt Community College smart farm nursery station. They will remain here for three weeks before they can be moved into the cultivation walls. To learn more about the new state-of-the-art technology being used to teach at JSCC turn to Page 3. ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL
the
A look at post pandemic mental health trends
BRIEF this week
Wallace teen faces first-degree murder charge Wallace A juvenile charged with the Dec. 15 murder of Anthony Deshaun Murray is now facing first-degree murder charges as an adult. Jamel Xavier Keith, who was 17 at the time the murder was committed, was transferred from a juvenile facility to Duplin County Jail on Monday following his 18th birthday, Duplin County Sheriff Stratton Stokes said. The Wallace Police Department responded to a shots fired call at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 15. When they arrived at the residence at 125 Poplar St., officers found a male with an apparent gunshot wound, as well as a shell casing on the floor. Murray was later pronounced dead by EMS personnel. Police arrested Keith on Jan. 26 and charged him with murder. He was placed into custody by the Department of Juvenile Justice. “During the arrest process, the juvenile temporarily escaped from custody,” a statement from Wallace PD on Jan. 26 read. “After a brief search, the juvenile was located and taken into custody without further incident.” The statement continued, “The investigative unit at Wallace PD has done a tremendous job building this case.
Magnolia man pleads guilty to wife’s 2019 murder Clinton Winfield S. Smith, Jr., 49, of Magnolia, pled guilty last Friday to second-degree murder and felony obstruction of justice in Sampson County Superior Court in connection with the murder of his wife, Barbara Ann Draughon Smith, in February 2019. Smith stated that at the time of the murder, he was convinced he was killing a demon. He was later diagnosed with psychosis due to steroid medications he was prescribed after back surgery. An autopsy showed that Barbara Smith had suffered 66 sharp force injuries, one of which perforated her heart. The murder weapon was a katana samurai sword. Smith received a sentence of 25.6 to 32.5 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge, and 8 to 19 months for the felony obstruction of justice charge.
July is National Minority Mental Health Month By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal ABBY CAVENAUGH / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Duplin County officials gathered on Monday morning to break ground on the new detention center. Pictured left to right are: Chief Deputy Phil Humphrey, Assistant County Manager Carrie Shields, Todd Davis with Moseley Architects, County Manager Bryan Miller, Rep. Jimmy Dixon, County Commissioner Wayne Branch, Duplin County Sheriff Stratton Stokes, County Commissioner Justin Edwards, and with Daniels and Daniels Construction, Jeff Daniels, Jeremiah Daniels, Vince White and Pete Corser.
New Detention Center marks ‘a new era’ A groundbreaking was held on July 22 By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — With the ceremonial shoveling of dirt by county officials, construction is officially underway on Duplin County’s new detention center. The much-needed center will replace the county’s current overcrowded and outdated jail. At the start of the groundbreaking ceremony, County Manager Bryan Miller called the new detention center “a new and essential addition to our community.” The new detention center will allow Duplin County to house inmates not only from this county but will have space for other counties’ inmates as
“It marks the beginning of a new era for our community, one that prioritizes safety, economic growth and the efficient use of public resources.” Bryan Miller, Duplin County Manager well. Currently, Sheriff Stratton Stokes said, 38 inmates are being housed outside the county, which is not ideal. “It’s going to be very important for us to be able to keep inmates here,” the sheriff said. “Plus … we can actually house inmates from out of county, so
that will be a benefit to taxpayers where we can save money and actually make a profit so we can offset the cost of running this facility.” The new detention center will be more than just a building that houses inmates, Miller said. “It’s a symbol of progress, safety and responsible government,” he said. “It underscores our commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that our law enforcement has the resources necessary to maintain order and security.” Miller pointed out that the construction and operation of the new facility will create jobs and also boost the local economy. “The influx of construction workers, suppliers and future employees will stimulate business and local merchants, See DETENTION, page 12
Wallace K-9 locates missing elderly woman K-9 Viper logs his first rescue By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal WALLACE POLICE Officer Ivan Sanchez and his K-9 partner Viper helped locate an elderly woman who had wandered off from an assisted living facility earlier this month. On July 7 at about 11:20 p.m., Wallace police were called to Wallace Gardens Assisted Living to help locate a female resident who had walked away from the facility. “The resident was an elderly female suffering from a cognitive impairment,” a statement from the Wallace PD reads. “After canvassing the area attempting to locate the resident, officers on scene requested the Wallace Police K-9 Unit for tracking purposes.” Once he arrived, Sanchez assessed the situation, used a blanket belonging to the individual as a scent article and de-
PHOTO COURTESY WALLACE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Wallace K-9 Viper and his partner, Officer Ivan Sanchez, recently tracked down an elderly woman who had wandered away from Wallace Gardens Assisted Living. The woman was found safe and was not seriously injured. ployed K-9 Viper for tracking. Though it was raining and dark, K-9 Viper was able to locate the missing woman, who Wallace PD said appeared to be injury-free. “The rain makes it more difficult for the dogs, but Viper tracked her down,” Police Chief Jimmy Crayton told the town council at the July 11 meeting.
“He found her so we got her back home.” Duplin County EMS evaluated the patient and transported her to the local hospital, where she was treated and released. “He hasn’t found the motherlode of cash or drugs yet, but he’s finding people,” Crayton said of the K-9.
THERE IS NO DOUBT the pandemic brought a slew of challenges to Duplin County and beyond, and while health professionals saw an increase of people experiencing signs of stress, anxiet, and depression, they also saw a destigmatization of mental illnesses and substance use disorders, according to Glenn Simpson, ECU Health behavioral health system service line administrator. “I think what COVID allowed us to do is to open up the discussions a little bit more regarding behavioral health care, and that it is OK to seek help,” said Simpson. “That has been a major effort for those of us in the behavioral health care industry, and it’s because what we do know is that early intervention and prevention is often key to avoiding folks from getting so ill that they need more acute care or intensive services. “Nationally, the data is still indicating one in five adults will suffer from a diagnosable mental illness this year. But anecdotally, some surveys and some polls have indicated that may have gone up. I think it’s too soon, just as far as data collection goes, to be able to really see if it has significantly gone up since COVID.” In rural areas like Duplin County, a lot of issues can be related to social determinants of health and people taking care of themselves. “So, folks that are having food insecurities, housing issues, employment issues, etc., are more apt, just kind of in general to become ill and it’s not just with mental illness or substance use,” said Simpson. “It really becomes an access to care. … Obviously, some of them would be getting some level of care, but like nationally, most folks aren’t getting the care that they need.” According to Simpson, one of the main reasons is the stigma, or acknowledging there is a problem. “So, because we have seen mental illness and substance use be categorized in other ways than health care or diseases, sometimes people don’t want to talk about it.” However, there has been an improvement according to Simpson, and it has to do with people talking about it more openly in the media, like celebrities for example. He emphasized that it is important for folks to be aware and be on the lookout for early signs. See HEALTH, page 5
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