PLYMOUTH – A three-month investigation into the death of a Lewiston resident has resulted in a charge of involuntary manslaughter lodged against a Plymouth man.

Two other Plymouth residents were also charged in the case for not being truthful with law enforcement officials during their investigation.

Jamie Earl Dawson was arrested Friday morning by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in the June 22 death of 23-year-old William Joseph “Billy” Dunlow Jr. According to Washington County Sheriff’s Investigator Lew Hellickson, Dawson allegedly struck Dunlow in the head while the two were at an auto salvage yard in the area of Reno Road and Moore Avenue in Plymouth.

Dunlow, who was accompanied by two family members, also from Lewiston, was unconscious and unresponsive when law enforcement officers and Washington County Paramedics arrived at the scene. Dunlow, the father of two small children, was transported to Washington County Hospital and then later flown to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville where he died.

“During an extensive three-month follow-up investigation, it was indicated that Jamie Earl Dawson had confronted the three men and allegedly punched, or had thrown one single blow, that caused the death of William Dunlow Jr.    According to all indications, William Dunlow Jr. had not been disruptive or combative prior to being struck in the head,” Hellickson.

Hellickson added that the Vidant Greenville Medical Examiner’s Office completed their autopsy procedures and ruled the death as a homicide on Sept. 5.  According to the Medical Examiner, it had indeed been the blow to the head that had caused the death of William Dunlow Jr.

Three days later (Sept. 8), the Washington County Sheriff’s Office issued an arrest warrant for Dawson on the charge of

involuntary manslaughter in the death of Dunlow. Dawson also has an active warrant for felony probation violation in Durham County.

Dawson remained at large until his arrest on Friday.

Two others are also charged in the case. Dawson’s girlfriend, Juanita Lewis of Plymouth, was arrested and charged Sept. 8 with one count of felony obstruction of justice. Her neighbor, Antonio Lacy, was arrested the same day and faces the identical felony obstruction charge. Those charges were a result of not being truthful during the investigation, according to Hellickson.

Lewis was given a $3,000 secured bond; Lacy’s bond was listed at $10,000 secured. Both made their initial court appearances on Sept. 9.

Dawson is jailed under an $85,000 secured bond.

The full investigation in this case was conducted by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Plymouth Police Department, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations.