BIRDIE AND BARRY FRINK (at left), parents of slain Shallotte teenager Amy Frink, appear with Lt.
Bill Knowles of the Horry County, S.C., Police Department at a Tuesday news conference in Bolivia.
INFORMATION HOTLINE SET UP
tMVWOnVHCUUON
THE BLOODSTAINED CAR driven by Frink before her murder remains under lock-and-key at the
Brunswick County Sheriff's Department impound yard. It hos found in the brush off Shingletree Road
Thursday afternoon. Anyone who recalls seeing the silver 1988 Subaru in the early morning hours of
July 23 is urged to contact BCSD detectives or the Horry County , S.C., Police.
Parents, Detectives Ask Public Help
In Locating Local Teen's Murderer
BY ERIC CARLSON
The parents of Amy Frink have joined investi
gators in two states to ask for help in finding out
who murdered the Shalioltc teenager and left her
body lying beside a remote South Carolina hunt
ing club road last week.
"As a mother, I am making a plea to anyone
who knows anything about this case to comc for
ward," Birdie Frink said at a press conference in
Bolivia Tuesday afternoon.
Horry County Police Lt. Bill Knowles, the lead
investigator on the case, said he arranged for
BarTy and Birdie Frink to appear before newspa
per and television reporters, "because I want this
girl to have a face and not just a name. I want
whoever did this to remember that face."
Investigators arc particularly interested in hear
ing from anyone who might have seen Amy
Frink 's silver two-door Subaru XT coupe after
2:30 a.m. Thursday morning. The car has black
trim and bears the N.C. license tag number ESD
2173.
Frink was last seen at that hour leaving her
home in the River Heights subdivision near
Shallotte on her way to Cherry Grove, S.C.,
"... I want this girl to
have a face and not just
a name . I want whoever
did this to remember
that face." f
? LL Bill Knowles
Horry County Police
where she planned to meet her sister Jill. She left
a message on a telephone answering machine
there ai 2:49 and was not heard from again.
Police believe the call may have been made
from a pay telephone. They urge anyone who saw
a blonde woman making a call at that hour to no
tify authorities immediately.
"We're concerned that there is a murderer on
the loose, quite possibly in Brunswick County,"
said Sheriff John Can Davis. "We are seeking as
sis unite Iss a ease thai straddles state fines. it is ur
gent that we do whatever we can as soon as we
can.
Investigators are trying to piece together
Frink's travels after she left Shallotte Thursday
moming. While many of her friends and acquain
tances already have been interviewed, Knowles
urged anyone familiar with Frink's "habits or
hangouts" to pass that information on to police.
A special number with a 24-hour answering
machine has been set up at the Brunswick County
Sheriff's Department to accept information about
the case. That number is (910) 253-4797. Or you
may call the regular sheriff's department numbers
at (910) 253-4321 or (800) 672-6379.
In South Carolina, information should be di
rected to the Horry Countv Police Department at
(803)248-1250.
CrimeS toppers programs in both states will al
so take anonymous tips about the case, with re
wards offered for information leading to an arrest
or indictment In North Carolina call (800) 531
9845 or in South Carolina call (800) 248-5000.
All calls to CrimeStoppets lines are kept confi
dential.
Beaches Don't Budge On Fireworks Ban
(Continued From Page 1-A)
to bring North Carolina into line
with practices in other states.
People were already using fire
works across the state, including lo
cal beaches, but were bringing them
in from neighboring states such as
South Carolina, Tennessee and
Virginia, which all allow the sale of
Certain pyrotechnics.
"I can stand on the beach at
Ocean Isle on July 4th and see a
pretty good fireworks display," said
Redwine, a former resident of the
town who now lives just west of
Ocean Isle.
Along with creating danger for
users of the more powerful fire
works, the practice was depriving
Tar Heel merchants of a valuable
source of sales income, and the state
and local governments another
source of sales tax revenue, he said.
North Carolina's new law is simi
lar to Virginia's, which allows
ground-based and hand-held
sparkling devices, while South
Carolina and Tennessee allow the
sale and use of explosive and aerial
fireworks.
Fireworks considered "safe and
sane" under House Bill 1089 include
ground-based sparklers (fountains),
sparklers on a stick, snakes, toy
smoke devices and trick noise-mak
ers such as caps, snappers, party
poppers, string poppers.
Still illegal to sell or use any
where in North Carolina except in
Fireworks For The 4th? if*
If your family or group of friends plans to celebrate Independence Day
with backyard fireworks, he carefnL
and trick noise-makers such ? snappers, drop popa and party poppers.
All other pyrotechnic (fireworks) devices an illegal in dns state, in
cluding firecrackers, bottle rockets, rornaa candles, aerials and rpfamers.
Purchasing, possessing or nring illegal fireworks is punishable by ap to a
S500 fine and six months in jail under state law.
Some nemicipeKties enforce mote restrictive laws, such as Hoidea
Beach and Sunact Beach. These tiro towns baa oae of all Ciewmks be
cause of the fire hazard they pose. (See related story.)
Anyone seeing, samroae usiag or puri:bming illegal fireworks shonkl
their load police or fire department.
special public exhibitions are most "Fireworks are easy targets," said
other "Class C* pyrotechnics, a long Redwine, but he questions how
list of explosive or aerial fireworks much they contribute to fire hazard
such as firecrackers, chasers, bottle or to personal injury, especially the
rockets, parachutes. Roman candles types that are now legal in North
and spinners. Carolina.
Some concerns about the poten
tial for fires and for personal injury
were raised during debate of the bill
last year, but Redwine is satisfied
the legalized fireworks are safe for
family 110
"When we saw the statistics
(from the United States Fireworks
Safety Council), fireworks cause a
miniscule amount of fires compared
to matches and other items readily
available," said Redwine.
Of all fires in the United States
annually, only six-tenths of a percent
are caused by all types of fireworks,
according to the U.S. Fire
Administration.
Risk of personal injury also ap
peared minimal. According to the
Consumer Product Safety Com
mission's reporting database, for
every 100,000 children ages 5
through 14, only one injury annually
is seen in emergency rooms each
year as a result of "safe and sane"
type fireworks. In contrast, 1,000 in
juries resulting from bicycle acci
dents are treated in emergency
rooms each year, 200 from roller
skating and 60 from fishing.
"If it can be proven that sparklers
are burning down beach houses, if
they're causing fires, we can change
the law," he said. "So far response to
the bill has been very positive. As
we get closer to the Fourth of July,
though. I'm getting more calls about
it."
Budget Approved After Two Cutting Sessions
(C? H? 4 From Page I-A)
meat from the board, funding for the
positions was included in the final
budget.
lit another personnel matter, Jones
asked why the county shouldn't
eliminate the $25,000 position of
solid waste director, which has re
mained vacant for more than a year.
Commissioner Shaw agreed.
"If we're operating now without a
director, why do we need one?"
asked Shaw. "If it hasn't been adver
tised in a year, let's take it out"
Warren said the position was left
in the budget because Operation
Services Director Darry Somersett
"has had some problems at the land
fill and didn't know which way he
wanted to go" in regards to staffing.
Warren recommended thai the board
keep the position in the budget and
"let him make the decision."
The budget approved Thursday
also includes an increase of 10 cents
p?i 1,000 gallons in iocai water
bills, due largely to higher raw water
rates charged to the county by the
Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer
Authority Brunswick County resi
dents will also sec a 50-ccnt increase
in local telephone bills, with the
money to be spent on operations at
the Emergency Communications
(911) Center.
Other adjustments made to the
proposed budget before adoption
last week include:
? A reoviction from $250,000 to
$125,000 in the amount set aside to
hire an outside contractor to perform
the property revaluation required by
the state at least every eight yean.
By cutting this allocation, the board
has committed the county to per
form the next revaluation in-house.
? A $40,000 allocation to con
struct an additional room on the se
nior citizens center in Lei and.
? An additional $4,450 for the
Economic Development Commis
sion to bring a part-time employee
up to full time and to purchase up
dated computer equipment. A re
quest for a new car was denied.
? Six months worth ot funding
for the county cafeteria, which in
curred a $40,000 loss last year.
McGinnis had recommended shut
ting the operation down, but cafete
ria manager Robert Smith was given
a half year to get it onto a better fi
nancial footing.
? More money for landscaping
property surrounding the county's
two new libraries at Lei and and Oak
Island and the renovated branches in
Shallotte and Southport.
Use the
Classifieds
whether you're
buying or selling.
THE BRUNSWKftftACON
Investigators Release Little >
But Say Evidence Abundant
(Continued From Page 1 A)
Soon the inquiry into Amy Frink's whereabouts was exploded into
South Carolina, where authorities there jciaid in the search. Airplanes
were called in Friday to check remote areas in both states. Preparations
were made to continue searching alter nightfall using infrared heat- sens
ing equipment. , ?
1155 wIwnn * Krwjy rwotrhino Frinlr't WM frmnd
Friday afternoon. Investigators from the four state and county agencies
converged on the hunting dub road and kept onlookers far from the
aceae.
"We've collected an abundant amount of information, but we cannot
comment about the evidence for investigative reasons," Lt Know lea said
The silence surrounding the case has been so complete that police dio
not formally confirm that the body had been identified as Frink's until af
ter her funeral Monday morning. Nor are they saying how she was
clothed, how she was killed, what the murder weapon might have been or
whether there was any evidence of a sexual assault.
"I can't comment about the cause of death except to say that there was
an element of brutality involved," Knowles said.
The blood found on Frink's car was found to be that of a human, but it
will take further analysis to determine whether it came from the victim.
Asked about the significance of finding blood on the bumpers, Kaowles
said that "the vehicle played a part in the crime."
So far, investigators do not have any firm suspects in the case and have
not determined a motive for the killing. Nor do they know whether or not
Frink knew her killer. Knowles said. They believe she made the call to
Jill from a pay telephone. The answering machine tape has been seat off
for analysis, along with Frink's car.
It is believed that Frink was murdered at the spot where the body was
found, but it is not known whether she went there on her own. An FBI
agent visited the crime scene Friday and may join the investigation if it is
determined that Frink was kidnapped and carr^pd acrosc suite lines.
Anyone who has information about the case, including friends of Amy
Frink who are familiar with her activities, is urged to contact Horry
Comity Police at (803) 248-1250 or the Brunswick County Sheriff's
Department at (910) 253-4321 or (800) 672-6379 or at a special number
set up for the Frink investigation, (910) 253-4797.
Typical Weather
Is Exoected For
a
Independence Day
Temperatures and rainfall arc ex
pected to hover around normal as
July arrives in the South Brunswick
Islands.
Over the next week, temperatures
are expected to average around 70
degrees at night up to around 90 de
grees during the daytime, Shallotte
Point meteorologist Jackson Canady
said Tuesday.
A 28 -degree difference separated
the extreme high and tow tempera
tures of the period June 21 through
27. Canady recorded a high of 99
degrees on June 22 and a low of 71
degrees on June 27.
A daily average high of 92 de
grees combined with a nightly aver
age low of 73 degrees for a daily av
erage temperature of 82 degrees,
about 3 degrees above average.
Canady recorded sixty-five hun
dredths inch of rainfall.
THE BRUNSWICKftBEACON
Established Nov. 1, 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N.C. 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
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ELSEWHERE IN
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One Year $15.95
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