*?'INSV/ICK BfACON
1 ' *
Volume 23. Number 44
Motion
BY SUSAN USHER
Testimony was to resume Wednesday
morning in Brunswick County
Superior Court in the trial of a
Shallotte man charged in the May 25
rape of a convenience store clerk.
Charged with first-degree rape is
Aaron Elwood Pigott, 22, of Mulberry
Street. He is accused of raping an
Oasis Food Mart clerk at knifepoint
on the morning of May 25 at the
Shallotte store. Indicted by a
Brunswick County Grand Jury on July
22, he has pleaded not guilty. He
remains in jail under $50,000 bond.
. "^nwnn:' '.l
--v ?i
J
i'
;f
fty.
A FIRE OF SUSPICIOUS ORIGIN
Wind Ceramics Shop at Shell Point h
ARSON SAID POSS1E
Early M
Kjy.
BY SUSAN USHER
Arson is suspected in h pre-dawn
blare Monday that destroyed a riverfront
ceramics shop at Shell Point,
according to Brunswick County
Emergency Management Coordinator
Cecil l.ogan
"The way it looks right now, the
building burned extremely fast We
think it had some kind of help," he
said Tuesday. "In a matter of about
30 minutes it went from a small fire
to a major fire."
Also adding to suspicions it was a
set fire, "more than a routine fire,"
was evidence the blaze may have
started in two or three places, he added.
However, logan said he sees no
connection between the structure fire
and several cases of woods arson
reported in past months in the Shell
Point area
Volunteer firefighters from the
Gvietnvm and Tri-Beach departments
were on the scene at West
Wind Ceramics until about 10.30 a.m.
Monday. The shop Is located at the
end of Shell Point Road off N.C. 130
east at Ctvtetown.
Logan called in the State Bureau of
Cerfaii
BY SL'SAN I SHE!
Proposed Coastal Rnouroes O
tions governing single-fatally resicU
differ oeilj slightly from existing
regulations. Mayor Latlane Bulla*
maslcofti Monl>) afternoon
Bat she added to a note of Caaba
hent the proposed changes wnC affee
other ssuractpalioe*. particular*} m
has oot already been piatted and
abghti) more rejlrvrOre regulation!
Other coastal oaax&sfUbes na
shoe fas or thetr (rotations and hav
said, when the CRC holds Us hears*
17.
t
" nRl
e. North
ik i n
fix f\/
For Misti
Mistrial Denied
With the jury sequestered outside
the courtroom temporarily, Judge B.
Craig Ellis denied a defense motion
for mistrial Monday afternoon
following the surprise production by
the state of photographs of the defendant.
The photographs, not yet introduced
as evidence, purportedly
show scratches, cuts and bruises sustained
during the alleged crime.
Ellis agreed to allow their introduction
solely for the purpose of illustrating
testimony forthcoming
from several law officers yet to take
r? t
5 V - 1
; **?. >
1 i ?
ITI' *'' *" "" " ^'
gutted the Welt with losses estlmi
touday morulug. officers are Imr si
S1LITY
orning Bloz
s Ceramics
Investigation to help investigate the
origin of the fire
He said he and SB! agent Tun Batehelor
took photographs of the scene
and samples from diggings for further
lab work. Later in the week, the
area SB1 arson Investigator, Jerry
Webster, will also Join the investigation.
Toni Chadwick, owner of the
building and the property overlooking
tile ShaUoile River, said the blaze
caused an estimated kiss of about
$200,000.
She worked with her mother. I-uree
Chadwick. in the two-story shop
"The bottom floor was filled with
ceraralc mol'Vi, greenware and
paints. She ha t two kilns.
"Upstairs ihere was mostly
lumber. He had some tools up there,
a saw and a lathe and a pile of shrimp
net webbing "
Ms Chadwick said her father,
Harvey Ishmael Chadwick, built the
shop about 12 years ago It was uninsured
At this time, she said, the
family has no plans to rebuild
Harvey Chadwick reported the fire
at about I 50 a m. after being
awakened by Earl Turner, who lives
n CRC Prop
R While good i
ommtsskir reguia- 'these rrgulatkj
mtia! development she sud. "If It's
Ocean Isle Beach to be coroprehec
{ton advised com- She urged
themselves rf tlx
tv, she doesal know the Job" at prvie
t the count) and its At itr Septe
ru "here the land adopted policies
would (all coder that x likely to h
l. uses at coastal i
ed to see how the the CRC a expe
e some input.' she those policies. Tl
|. probably on Oct far instance. *a
or plats existed
I
1NSVVI
Carolina, inursday, bepterr
a pr f-\CL fAMl/CM
"\r l vr v?vi\i vlix
rial Denie
the stand.
District Attorney Michael Easley ]
said Shallotte Police IX Rodney i
Cause received the photographs
from an SBI agent during the lunch I
break, turning them over to Easley. i
The district attorney, in turn, shared i
the items with William Fairley, (
Pigott's court-appointed attorney. i
The photographs were taken by
Columbus County sheriffs officers >
several days after the alleged rape. '
when Pigott had been transferred >
from the Brunswick County Jail to
Whiteville for safekeeping. <
I
. , ; I
; 1
*
^ * "* **"* j
*V:::*>?$0&m
*1 AW #HOtO ? ViiAN UlM*
itcd at $200,000. Local and state law
Igattag. *'
e
Shop
in a mobile home In front of the
ceramics shop.
According to a report filed by
Brunswick County Sheriff's Sgt Donnell
Marlow, Turner said he woke up
between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. and was
about to lay down again when he
"discovered a large flame of fire <
coming from the building." I
The buildmg was already fully
engaged in flames. <
Another couple living on the j
grounds in a camper, Lavem and
Dottie 1-ewis, told Marlow they had j
smelled something like gas in the i
area at about 9.30 p.m Sunday, t
Thinking it was the camper's tank, f
they checked outside, found nothing, f
and returned to the camper. s
Ms Chad wick said that one end of
the shop is heated by gas. but that the I
tank was empty and had not been us- <
ed since last winter. She said the fire .
appeared to have started at the far j
end of the building from where the !
gas line and electrical lines enter the
budding. t
The fire also damaged two vehicles I
parked nearby, a truck and a bus that t
had been converted into a camper. (
>osals Said (
rat#?r Am 1 ftv- ic imtvietaw* J '
a??e
a don't include inland fishing witers,
r the state i is going to do the job, it's got !
Btve," '
those interested to determine (or
proposed measures are needed to "do 1
cling coastal water quality <
tnber meeting in Beaufort, the CRC >
intended to due-wage development '
art water quality or to prevent current i
eaters, tododmg fishing. In October. 1
cted to 'ait sp regulations reflecting '
mat dealing with smgie-famaj home*.
aM apply to areas uhere aibdsnucm
prior to July 1. IMS. the mayor in- 1
I gg g jg j
w-rr*
iber 12. 1985
[ENCE STORE Ci
*d; Testir
Easlev said he had no prior
knowledge that the photographs exited.
Fairley said introduction of the piclures
"very directly affects defense"
3f the case and that they were "extremely
prejudicial" to Pigott,
;specially in light of his opening
remarks to the jury. Fairley had told
jurists that no direct evidence of
scratches or cuts on Pigott's bodywould
be introduced?a statement
which Ellis and Easley agreed was a
'gamble" since Fairley did not know
what the listed witnesses would sayin
their testimony.
If a mistrial had been declared,
Pigott would have received a new
Irial.
Returning To Stand
IX Gause, the sixth witness to
lestify for the state Tuesday, was to
return to the stand Wednesday to
give additional testimony and for
:ross-examination by Fatrley.
First to testify Tuesday was the
victim, who spoke for approximately
sn hour.
Also testifying Tuesday were two
SB1 special agents of the state crime
lab in Raleigh; Captain Phil Perry.
:hief of detectives for the Brunswick
bounty Sheriff's IDepartment; ami
Cesar Hardy Jr., Pigott's barber
ftesults of body fluid and hair lab
malvses provided inconclusive
results, as did fingerprinting on the
scene of the crime, according to
lestimony presented Tuesday.
Victim Testifies
the victim testified that between 5
nn and 5:30 a.in. a black male
jntered the Oasis Food Mart, located
>n N.C. 130 in Shallotte, and remainid
for about 45 minutes before the
tUeged rape occurred. During that
lime, sbe said, the man?whom she
Has identified as Plgott?approached
he checkout counter four times on
routine business, twice for change
#ith which to play two video
machines, once to buy snacks and the
ourth time, to discuss the price of a
sandwich before returning it to a
looter.
Then, said the victim, as she was
making a fresh pot of coffee behind
he counter, she was grabbed around
Long Be
On First
A flurry of activity marked the
.lose of the filing period for long
"leach municipal offices Friday.
Elsewhere in the county, where
andidates have until noon Sept. 20 to
ieclare, filing proceeded at a slower
lace.
When I?ng Beach "oters go to the
Kills Oct 8 in the town's first
nunicipal primary, they'll narrow
heir choices from three candidates
or mayor to two and 18 candidates
or commissioner to six for consideration
on Nov. 5.
Incumbent Mayor Ben Thomas'
>id for re-election faces a primary
hallenge from Commissioner
lohnny Vereen III, whose term exilres
In December, and Ray
ilans field
The only Incumbent commissioner
o file for re-election is L Lee
>resnelL Along with Vereen's seat,
he vat presently held by Cheryll
Zoleman will be vacated.
Zompatible
heated Monday.
These would include requiring a i
from mean tagfc water or coastal weti
lures that do not require direct seres
A buffer zone of ?feet from mean
be required, slightly more than the K
nd rear yard now required by the
wch as tunderlif and stairways att*
would not be allowed to extend into Q
xi more than a|hi i?v tiBaUr h
qotrementa that suadecks be no iargi
by U feet.
She indicated die state's requires
eoitrunmantal concern as they relate
bare minimal effect at Oceaa file
RAC(
25c Per Copy
IERK
nony Cor
the neck from behind and dragged
from behind the checkout counter,
stumbling over a display and falling
to the floor.
I-ater, Police L.t. Rodney Clause
testified that coffee grounds and
stains were scattered about the store
and that several displays had been
knocked down.
After the fall, the victim testified,
the assailant slapped her, grabbed
her by the ankles and pulled her
across the store to the vicinity of a
storeroom in the rear. On crossexamination
by Fairley, she
acknowledged she couldn't explain
how the position of her feet in relation
to the storeroom door changed during
the struggle.
With the arm wrapped around her
neck, she said, the assailant snapped
back at her jaw in an attempt to stop
her screams, causing her to bite her
tongue.
When she volunteered information
on the location of money in the cash
register and said she wouldn't call
police if he left her alone, the victim
continued, she said her assailant
replied no, ttial he was "going to net
what I want."
At that point, she said, he brandished
a knife.
"His hand was coming around his
side and it had the knife in it the first
time 1 saw it,' she suid.
She described the weapon as the
type of knife used by a hunter or
fisherman, with a blade about one
inch wide and five inches long and a
handle long enough she could see bits
of both ends protruding from her
assailants' hand. She said she was
not cut by the knife.
She said her assailant lore off her
outer clothing, pantyhose and panties
during the sexual assault.
The clerk said that she struggled
hard, while attempting to leave
marks on her assailant's body.
"He should have been scratched,"
she said. "I told the officers I had
done my best to leave marks."
In later testimony, Pigott's barber
said that he noticed no cuts or scratches.
U. Cause, however, said that
when he questioned Pigott he noted a
knot on the suspect's forehead, cuts
ach Voters J
Municipal P
Joining Presnell in the primary are
sheriffs deputy James Sloop, former
Ixmg Beach chief of police; former
mayor James R. Somers, Mary' Jean
James, Clayton Horace Collier,
Wayne Kester, Timothy W. Ptttman,
Ronald J. (Ronnie) Shannon, John R.
Ramsey, Boyd D. Phillips, Paul A.
Gallager, Harvey W. Anderson,
William H Millard, David 1.
Buchman and A.L. "Pete" Farmer.
In Shallotte, Alderman Jerry Jones
remains unchallenged in his hid for
mayor, while three candidates have
filed for the two available seats on
the board of aldermen: Danny
Wesley Roden, a town employee;
Gary Cheers and Charles Williams
At Calabash, John H. Johnson has
filed for a seat on the town council
At Sunset Beach, a second candidate
has filed for town council
Mainland resident Richard Plyler
has joined Minnie K. Hunt, secretary
a \A/S4-L\ ?"?
r Willi vytcru
The "footprint"
setback cf V5 feet with at) area of envti
amis for all ftntc- restricted to no larg
t to water AEC, Inclading covt
high water would She said thts w
feet each of front 10-foot lota along nor
town. Structures the others Proposa
chad to the home new ly-constructed (
* vegetated area located wider strut
i Ocean imt re- trends, she continue
tr than eight feet Mayor Builingta
encouraged that the
aenta for areas of the town's, suggests
to parking would Isle "H doing a good
(Sec
r4
orunswicK uonniy aneruis ucpart(See
TESTIMONY, I'age 2-A)
>et Sights
rimary
of the Sunset Beach Taxpayers
Association, in declaring.
At Ocean isle Beach, Mayor
I-aDane Bullington has filed for reelection.
In Navassa, Mayor I-ouis "Bobby"
Brown has filed for re-election.
In Southport, Barry J. Callari filed
against incumbent Edward I,. Oliver
in Ward I. Incumbents Norman
Holden, mayor; and William A.
Thorsen, Ward II, also have filed for
re-election.
Charles C Rout has Joined Charles
B Johnson in filing for the Doaher
Hospital Board of Trustees.
And at Caswell Beach, incumbents
Robert (Bob) McCracfcen and Duncan
R. Stuart have filed for reelection.
Candidates have yet to file at
Holden Beach, Bolivia, Belville. Boilir>u
Cewlea I wka. U ?" J
M<a -jyn I^iacs, i au^ju aeaijjyaixj
the I-eUnd Sanitary District
in /s/e
of structure buiit all or in part
or-mental concern 'AfXi wnuld be
er than 1,200 square feet wtlii/i the
red area* and stairways
:uid be baaically workable cat the
'-cement canals and 1 10-foot lota on
it for permesbalty atandarda for
tarkirtt area* and driveways not
Aires reflect the town'* current
1
n taid the waa both "pleased and
CBCt proposals were to similar to
if It mean* the Hate thick* Ocean
I )ob "
MAYOR, Pa?e t-A|
I
' i
?,-? - ,v j a. -? - '
m
IM
26 Pages
"itinues
between his ring and smallest finger
and scratches on his right arm, as
well as two distinctive orange spots
in his hair.
Aid Sought
Afterwards, said the clerk, she
dressed again in the panties and
outerwear. Daylight was just breaking.
she added, when she checked
outside the store for her assailant.
She then called the Brunswick County
Sheriff's Department for the second
time that morning, slie said,
this time to re|x>rt the rape and again
request assistance. The clerk was
working the 11 p.m to 7 a.m. shift.
Prior to the incident, three Merita
bread deliverymen had entered the
store, the clerk testified. She busied
herself helping with the now stock for
about 15 minutes, she said. When she
*? '
iuuivcu uuti\ uji, uu' man snt* aescrii)ed
as Pigott could not be seen inside
the store.
After the assault, she said, she
guessed her assailant must have
been in the restroom at the rear of
the store at that time.
The only other person to enter the
store, she said, was a black male who
came in while the deliverymcn were
there, purchased a package of
cigarettes and immediately left
The oldest of tlic three deliverymen
returned to the store, she said, warning
her to watch the man he had seen
lingering there. According to her
testimony, he told her, "You lhadi
better watch him 1 think he's been in
trouble before."
While he blocked the view of her
from the rest of the store, she called
the Brunswick County Sheriff's
Department, the victim said she asked
Sgt. Judy Nance to send an officer
to the store and to check out a possible
suspect. (Nance, fired after the
incident, said she had asked him to i
find out what he could about u
suspect he did not know was at the
store at the time of the call.)
At this point, her testimony differed
slightly from the transcript of
an interview conducted several days
after the Incident by Captain Phil
Perry, chief of detectives of the