HOME > WHKY NEWS ARCHIVE

BACK

Jewelry Television   6:00:00 AM - 5:00:00 PM (Schedule) The Sean Hannity Show   3:05:00 PM - 6:00:00 PM (Schedule)   WHKY News & Information  (Listen Live)

Lenoir Man Convicted in June 2010 Double Homicide
2/11/2013 5:34:23 PM

26-year-old Justin Ray Hester of Lenoir was convicted on two counts of felony first-degree murder today (February 11) in Caldwell Co. Criminal Superior Court.  Hester was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without parole in the North Carolina Division of Adult Correction.

The murders occurred in June of 2010 in the Dudley Shoals area of Caldwell County.  The victims were a 26-year-old man and his 18-year-old girlfriend.  They were killed in a dispute over money.  

After the murders, Hester placed the victims’ bodies in a car and attempted to conceal the crime by setting the car on fire.  The vehicle was discovered not far from Rhodhiss Dam.  The victims were later identified by DNA analysis completed by the Marshall University Forensic Science Center in Huntington, West Virginia.

21-year-old Matthew Bradley Powell of Granite Falls and 19-year-old Dylan Shane Teeters of Lenoir were charged with two counts each of accessory to murder after the fact.  

Lt. Aaron Barlowe and Detective Kenneth Bentley from the Caldwell Co. Sheriff’s Office handled the investigation, along with Agents from the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant District Attorneys Nancy Lee and Eric Bellas prosecuted the case with the Honorable Robert C. Ervin presiding over the conviction.

Hester will be transported to Central Prison in Raleigh for processing.

(Pictured:  Justin Ray Hester, courtesy of Caldwell Co. Sheriff's Office.)

---

Search All:

Thursday, May 23, 2013 5/23/2013 - Search Warrant in Claremont Leads to Meth Arrest 5/23/2013 - Two Face Felony Marijuana Charges in Hickory 5/23/2013 - Habitat for Humanity to Hold Information Meeting on June 6 5/23/2013 - Two from Boone Wanted on Meth Charges Caught in Iowa 5/23/2013 - Rain Forces Time and Venue Change For ASU Baseball SoCon Tournament Game 5/23/2013 - High School Softball Playoff Quarterfinal Results From Wednesday, 5/22/13 5/23/2013 - Crawdads Game Suspended In Top of Third Inning 5/23/2013 - Appalachian State Baseball Falls In First Game of SoCon Tournament 5/23/2013 - Junior Johnson To Be At L.P. Frans Stadium Thursday Night 5/23/2013 - Frye Wins Hickory's "Business. Well Crafted." Award 5/23/2013 - Valdese Man Charged in April B&E; Larceny Wednesday, May 22, 2013 5/22/2013 - Hickory Man Arrested on Warrant out of Nash County, N.C. 5/22/2013 - Connelly Springs Man Busted in Hickory for Methamphetamine 5/22/2013 - Hickory City Manager Berry Presents FY2013-14 Budget 5/22/2013 - Three Face Firearms Charges in Burke County 5/22/2013 - Several Area Officers Receive Highway Patrol Awards 5/22/2013 - High School Baseball Playoff Quarterfinal Round Results From Tuesday, 5/21/13 5/22/2013 - High School Softball Playoff Quarterfinal Round Results From Tuesday, 5/21/13 5/22/2013 - St. Stephens Advances to Girls Soccer State Champions Game 5/22/2013 - Hickory Crawdads Roll Over Greenville 5/22/2013 - Hudson Man Charged with Felony B&E 5/22/2013 - Statesville Woman Accused of Using Estranged Husband's Info on Credit Card Application 5/22/2013 - Man Charged with Attempted Murder in Morganton 5/22/2013 - California Sex Offender Captured in Wilkes County 5/22/2013 - Hickory's Request for Water Conservation is Lifted Tuesday, May 21, 2013 5/21/2013 - “It's Book Time with Ronald McDonald!®” is Part of Summer Reading Program 5/21/2013 - Hickory Firefighters Offer Lawn & Garden Safety Tips 5/21/2013 - Lenoir Man Faces Multiple B&E & Larceny Charges 5/21/2013 - Vale Man Arrested for Fraudulent Insurance Claim 5/21/2013 - Hickory Man Sentenced to At Least 70 Months on Drug Charges 5/21/2013 - App Wrestling Named to All-Academic Top 30 Team, Parisi Takes Honors 5/21/2013 - Lenoir Man Tasered After Assaulting Police & Hospital Worker 5/21/2013 - Seniors Morning Out Programs for June Announced 5/21/2013 - Newton Woman Convicted of 1st-Degree Rape of Child 5/21/2013 - Fees Waived for Property Owners Affected by May 6 Flooding 5/21/2013 - Caldwell Chamber Plans Thursday Breakfast Meeting 5/21/2013 - Three Charged with Scrap Metal Theft 5/21/2013 - Sadzeck Goes Six Strong Innings, Dads Hit Two Home Runs in Win Over Greenville 5/21/2013 - Five ASU Baseball Players Earn All-Conference 5/21/2013 - Catawba County Emergency Planning Meeting Set for Wednesday 5/21/2013 - Granite Falls Man Convicted in Connection to June 2010 Double Homicide Monday, May 20, 2013 5/20/2013 - Lenoir Woman Jailed for Assault on a Handicapped Person 5/20/2013 - Lenoir Woman Jailed for Assault; Possession; More 5/20/2013 - Lenoir Woman Jailed for Possession 5/20/2013 - Lenoir Woman Charged with Assault; More 5/20/2013 - Conover Man Charged with Obtaining Property by False Pretense 5/20/2013 - Hickory Man Accused of Stealing Cell Phone 5/20/2013 - Catawba County Library System to Hold Book Sale in August 5/20/2013 - Two from Kings Mountain Charged with Vehicle Break-In 5/20/2013 - Half Price Adoptions at Catawba Co. Shelter During Sanitization 5/20/2013 - Caldwell County Commissioners to Meet Monday Evening 5/20/2013 - Pharmacy Robbery Suspect Linked to Two More Attempted Robberies 5/20/2013 - Four Charged with Lenoir Armed Robbery; More 5/20/2013 - Callaway Named to Brooks Wallace Award Watch List 5/20/2013 - Dads Sweep Delmarva, Throws No-Hitter in Game Two 5/20/2013 - Ten L-R Women and Men Track and Field Athletes Earn All-Region Honors 5/20/2013 - Crawdads Rained Out in Delmarva on Saturday 5/20/2013 - ASU Baseball Rebounds to Take Season Finale Over Western Carolina 5/20/2013 - High School Baseball Playoff Results From Friday, 5/17/13 5/20/2013 - High School Softball Playoff Results From Friday, 5/17/13 5/20/2013 - App Baseball Drops 9-1 Decision to Western Carolina 5/20/2013 - Hickory Crawdads Fall to Delmarva 5/20/2013 - App State Announces 2013 Hall of Fame Inductees 5/20/2013 - Appalachian State Releases 2013-2014 Schedule 5/20/2013 - Silver Alert for Missing Asheville Man 5/20/2013 - Escaped Inmate Captured in Gaston County 5/20/2013 - Newly Renovated Collett Street Pool to Open in Mid-June Friday, May 17, 2013 5/17/2013 - Lenoir Man Charged with Marijuana Violations