The man who has been on the run for more than a week, after investigators said he killed his grandmother and then stabbed a deputy while avoiding arrest, was spotted just outside of Vanceboro.
Dominic Connelly is wanted for the October 25 murder of his grandmother, Patricia Lopedote, in Havelock and the October 29 attempted murder of a Craven County Sheriff’s Deputy in Vanceboro.
The Craven County Sheriff’s Office has released Ring video that they believe shows Connelly walking through the backyard of a home in the area of N.C. Highway 43 and Mile Road at around 8:30 Tuesday morning.
The Craven County Sheriff’s Office, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and U.S. Marshals have been searching for the wanted man for days, and have said that he’s been sticking to wooded areas that make the search more challenging. Additional air support has been called in from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the United States Coast Guard, and North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Anyone that sees Connelly should not approach him, but call 911 immediately. Sheriff Chip Hughes said anyone helping Connelly avoid arrest and prosecution will face criminal charges.
Meanwhile, after several days of remote learning or start time delays, Craven County Schools in the Vanceboro area resumed normal operating hours on Wednesday. School officials said bus routes returned to their regular schedules.
The break in routine came amid the search for Connelly, who still has not been caught.
The district said additional law enforcement will be present during morning bus routes, and schools will operate under heightened security measures throughout the day.
