Crimes, Arrests, and Wanted in Asheville North Carolina

Asheville police charge man in 1990 homicide

ASHEVILLE – Asheville police detectives today (Jan. 29) charged a Swannanoa man in the 1990 death of a woman at Deaverview Apartments.

Terry Luther Spivey, birth date 3/28/1947, of Christian Creek Road, is charged with Second-Degree Murder in the death of Sandra Proffitt. Ms. Proffitt, birth date 10/2/1949, had been a victim of domestic violence. She succumbed to injuries sustained in an altercation with Mr. Spivey in January 1990. At that time, the couple told officials that she was hurt in a fall. She died shortly thereafter at Mission Hospitals.

Detectives this week received new information in the case that enabled them to re-interview and subsequently charge Mr. Spivey in Ms. Proffitt’s death.

Asheville police want the public to know that homicide cases are never closed.

Detectives in the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) continue to build on the work of the previous investigators in such cases.

“Detectives’ findings, combined with advances in technology or with new information received from the public, can ultimately lead to an arrest,” CID Capt. Tim Splain said. “We are always hoping to find that one piece of evidence that would identify a suspect or that would give some sense of closure to the victim’s family.”

CID is actively pursuing some 23 unsolved homicide investigations dating back to 1969. Mr. Spivey is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Center under no bond.



Man arrested in Kenilworth home invasion
ASHEVILLE - Asheville police have arrested Darrell Lamar Sullivan Jr., in connection with a first-degree burglary at a Kenilworth residence that occurred on Jan. 10.

Sullivan, birth date 1/2/1986, of Asheville, has been charged with 3 counts of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon and 1 count of First-Degree Burglary.

He had also been arrested on Jan. 3 for Possession with Intent to Manufacture, Sell and Deliver for an incident in which he tried to sell crack cocaine to officers during a Drug Suppression Unit interdiction operation at Pisgah View Apartments.

The investigation is ongoing regarding other suspects in the Kenilworth incident.

Victims said three black males entered the house, brandished a firearm, and stole items including video games, an iPod and digital scales.



Man sustains minor inury in shooting
ASHEVILLE - Shortly before 9 p.m. on Jan. 26, Asheville police responded to a call of a gunshot wound at 10 Hildebrand St.

The victim said another man had shot him in the hand. The victim refused to be transported to the hospital by EMS and was later taken by family members to be treated for a minor injury. Detectives have issued a warrant on Wesley Norris Gray, birth date 10/3/1945, of Swannanoa, for Assault With a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury.


DSU seizes nearly 2 kilos
ASHEVILLE - Drug Suppression Unit officers on Jan. 23 conducted a traffic stop at 780 Hendersonville Road, following several days of surveillance on the Ascot Point Apartments. Arrested was Delaney Lamont Smith, birth date 1/29/1978, on 2 counts of felony Trafficking in Cocaine.

DSU seized about 1,983.84 grams of powder cocaine -- just under 2 kilos.

Officers also issued warrants for Boevino Antwane Hammond, birth date 3/31/1981, on 2 counts of felony Trafficking in Cocaine.



APD arrests man in first-degree burglary of apartment *
ASHEVILLE – Asheville police on Jan. 21 charged Matthew Rion Gray, birth date 5/17/1984, in the first-degree burglary of an apartment on Unaka Avenue.

He is charged with 2 counts of Robbery with A Dangerous Weapon, First-Degree Burglary and Larceny of a Motor Vehicle in the incident, which occurred shortly before 11 p.m. on Jan. 14.

A man at the residence told police that as he knocked on the apartment door, an unknown male approached him and put a gun to his head. He said he was then robbed of his phone, cash and car keys by another unknown male. When the apartment door opened, the two suspects pushed their way in, knocking the man to the floor in the process. The suspects subsequently robbed the residence of computer and phone equipment and a rifle and also took the male victim’s car. Police recovered the vehicle a few hours later.

Mr. Gray’s bond was set at $100,000.

* UPDATE (Jan. 26): Asheville police on Jan. 23 arrested the second suspect in this case, Joshua Daniel Garren, birth date 2/01/1986, of Asheville. He was charged with 2 counts of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, First-Degree Burglary and Larceny of a Motor Vehicle. Bond was set at $100,000.