Littleton Indicted By Tennessee Grand Jury In Kidnapping, Murder Of Missing Burke County Man
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On Tuesday, Burke County Sheriff’s deputies served a felony fugitive warrant and held an extradition hearing for on Robert Littleton III.
Littleton, 31, of Fleetwood, NC, will now be taken back to Tennessee where he will be placed under a $500,000 bond.
He was indicted by a Tennessee Grand Jury on May 7th in connection to the kidnapping and murder of Carlton Edmondson. Littleton is charged with First-Degree Murder, Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, Conspiracy to Commit Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, Extortion, Conspiracy to Commit Extortion, and Aggravated Assault.
Update (January 31, 2018)
Deputies have arrested another suspect in connection to the alleged January 19th kidnapping of 29-year-old Carlton Edmondson.
The Watauga County Sheriff’s Office arrested 24-year-old Valerie Dollar, of Boone, Monday on a Fugitive from Justice warrant from the State of Tennessee. She is charged with Conspiracy to Committ Especially Aggravated Kidnapping.
She was given a $250,000 bond and is being held pending extradition to Tennessee.
Four other suspects, Robert Littleton, Leigh Katherine Mina, James Combs, and Michael May, have also been charged in connection to the case.
Investigators originally arrested Robert Littleton as the primary suspect. Mina claimed to have been recently married to Littleton, according to officials, but could not provide documents to authorities proving her claim at the time of her arrest.
Detectives are still searching for Edmondson, and say additional arrests and charges are pending.
Original Story
BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — Deputies say they need help locating a man from Burke County after he was kidnapped and a ransom was demanded for his return.
Investigators say the family of Carlton Edmondson contacted police after receiving a phone call from an unknown person stating their son had been kidnapped. The caller also demanded money for the return of Edmondson, according to a news release.
Investigators say they determined the suspect was Robert Littleton III. They located Littleton in Mountain City, Tennessee and took him into custody.
After an interview, officials say Littleton was arrested for the kidnapping of Edmondson. Investigators say they also learned during the interview that Edmondson was taken to a remote location in Tennessee, assaulted and left.
Officials still have not located Edmondson at this time. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately.
Edmondson is described as a 30-year-old black male, 5’9″ tall, approximately 250, with black hair and brown eyes.
