An elderly man who went missing late in the afternoon of April 13 was found unharmed by mid-afternoon the following day after a massive ground and air search near the St. John community.

Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan reported that 77-year-old Dr. Aubrey Morgan of Suffolk, VA was found deep in large tract of woods he owns off NC 561 West. North Carolina PERT (Prison Emergency Response Team), a highly skilled unit trained in searching for escaped inmates, located Morgan around 2:30 p.m.

Morgan was alert and talking with the PERT members.

Vaughan praised the efforts of roughly 100 individuals that took part in the search.

Morgan set out on his ATV around 4 p.m. on April 13. When he failed to return to his cabin, his friends contacted the local authorities, who began their search around 8 p.m. that evening and did not stop until Morgan was located.

The search area encompassed the majority of Morgan’s 700-to-800 acres of land, most of which is wooded, to include a portion along both sides of the Cutawhiskey Creek. Morgan’s ATV was discovered Sunday night, stuck in the mud, but he was no where to be found.

Teen charged with

child sex crimes

A six-month investigation into sex crimes against a child has ended with the April 8 arrest of Keontre Maurice Peebles, age 16 of Woodland. He stands charged with two felony counts of indecent liberties with a child as well as one misdemeanor count of sexual battery.

The arrest and charges were made by the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Chuck Hasty, Captain of the Northampton Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Unit, the investigation began in September of last year. That criminal probe was launched after a family member reported the incident.

House fire displaces

11 family members

An early morning blaze on April 15 completely destroyed the rented home of Stan Shields and his family at 2709 US 13 North in Powellsville, located in the Piney Wood Chapel community.

Fortunately, all the human occupants were able to escape the burning blaze safely.  However, three of the family’s pets, a dog and two cats, perished.

Shields said three families were all living together in the home at the time.  According to one of the occupants, a woman residing in the home told firefighters she was awakened by a loud noise that sounded like a pop and when she went into her living room to investigate, the room was completely engulfed in flames.  The woman was able to quickly awaken her mother, the other adults and the children and get everyone out of the house to safety before the firemen arrived.

Joint effort helps

nab Nhamp. criminals

‘Spring Cleaning’ was the theme of the day on April 25, but it didn’t involve sweeping, dusting or cleaning out closets

The Northampton County Sheriff’s Office, joined by their law enforcement brethren from Halifax and Hertford counties, were out, 26 strong, before the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, serving warrants for a wide variety of crimes that, of as late in the day, resulted in 14 arrests.

Those sought had arrest warrants for robbery, assaults with deadly weapons, breaking and entering, drugs, probation violations, child support, and worthless checks.