Overview
- Deputies say Dominic Liam Connelly, 24, attacked a Craven County deputy with a knife in a Vanceboro Bojangles bathroom on Oct. 29 and fled on foot toward Bailey Lane Apartments.
- Connelly is wanted in the death of his 72-year-old grandmother, Patricia Lopedote, with charges that include murder, first-degree arson, and larceny of a motor vehicle.
- New warrants tied to the Bojangles encounter include attempted first-degree murder, felony assault on a law enforcement officer causing serious injury, and resisting a public officer.
- Sheriff Chip Hughes urged Vanceboro residents to lay low, noted schools closed for safety, and said to expect a strong law enforcement presence during Halloween.
- Investigators reported recovering Lopedote’s car in New Bern unoccupied on Oct. 28, and the sheriff said a vehicle and a bicycle used by the suspect were also recovered; the public is asked not to approach, to call 911 with sightings, or to submit anonymous tips at p3tips.com/986, with a Crime Stoppers reward offered.