| September
20, 2005 |
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| UPDATE:
Lail Charged with Murder of Wife |
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Detectives
with the Burke County Sheriff's Office charged 43-year-old Ronald Wayne Lail
(left) with murder this evening in the
shooting death of his wife. Her
death was the result of a domestic disturbance turned violent, according to
detectives.
Burke County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched at 2:08 PM
to 5212 Miller Bridge Road in Icard. There they found Lori Brower Lail, 43,
dead of an apparent gunshot wound to her head. |
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| Lori Lail's body was found lying in the front
yard of the couple's mobile home. Ronald Lail was
found lying next to his wife with a gunshot wound to his upper arm. |
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| "The evidence suggests that a distraught Lori
Lail shot her husband in the arm after they became engaged in a heated
argument," said Burke County Sheriff John T. McDevitt, who was on the scene.
"Ronnie Lail apparently walked away from the scene, but returned after several
minutes and shot his wife to death." |
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| McDevitt said he and his investigators feel any
claim of self-defense was negated because of the long period of time between
the two shootings. |
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| "We have answered a number of domestic calls at
this residence in the past," stated the sheriff. "We have also been contacted
by Lori Lail's family members in the past because they feared for her
safety." |
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| A handgun was found within a few feet of the
woman's body, according to McDevitt. Authorities believe the same gun was used
in the shooting of both victims. |
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| After the shooting, Ronald Lail was taken from
the scene by deputies and transported to Grace Hospital for treatment of his
injuries. He was later released from the hospital and questioned by detectives
at the Sheriff's Office. |
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| McDevitt said that Ronald Lail was charged late
last year with possession with intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine.
Investigators are also preparing indictments against him on another drug bust,
according to the sheriff, which occurred only a few months ago. |
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| "It's not the best house in the neighborhood,"
McDevitt told reporters on the scene. |
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| Lail was jailed under no bond and will have a
first court appearance as early as tomorrow. Sheriff's detectives and members
of the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation continue to examine evidence and
interview witnesses. |
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| The shooting is the second reported murder in
Burke County within the past twenty days. A Freedom High School student, Noua
Xiong, 16, was shot to death on September 1st.
Two men have been arrested in
connection with his murder. |
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