Man Arrested As Accessory In Murder Of 19-Year-Old In Catawba County

UPDATE:

Dustin Allen Shook has been charged as an accessory after the fact in the murder of Justin Tyler Smith.

Catawba County authorities say Shook knew Jeffery Douglas Brittain had shot Smith and drove him away from the crime scene to help him evade arrest.

UPDATE:

According to the Catawba County Sheriff’s Department, Jeffery Douglas Brittain, 23, was arrested Sunday morning and charged with the murder of Justin Smith.

Reports indicate the suspect and victim had a dispute “over a girl”.

Brittain is being held at the Catawba County Detention Center with no bond.

ORIGINAL STORY:

CATAWBA COUNTY, NC — Deputies are investigating after a 19-year-old man was found shot to death in his home Friday.

Justin Smith’s body was found in his home on Ball Park Road around 1:30pm, but officials say he was shot and died last night. Deputies say a lawn care worker for the home noticed a window broken out when he arrived this afternoon, and saw Smith dead in a chair when he looked inside.

Investigators are still trying to determine what took place. Officials say other people did live in the home, but were not there when the shooting happened.

There is no word on a suspect at this time.