Fayetteville murder suspect on the run while victim’s family is left with questions
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The suspect in a deadly Fayetteville crash remains unaccounted for almost a month after that crash. The family of the victim is now asking how that suspect has been able to get away.
“He’s always just such a lighthearted person to be around. If anyone’s ever in a bad mood, he’ll cheer you up,” said Kara Parker about her late father Tony Prewitt.
The 59-year-old disabled U.S. Air Force veteran was a father of seven and grandfather of seven who live all across the country.
Tony Prewitt Tony Prewitt Tony Prewitt
“It was really special when he took time out of his job to go and visit everybody and he just really spent a lot of time with the grandkids,” said Parker.
Prewitt was planning a move to Florida with his wife before those plans were cut short by a deadly crash in Fayetteville last month. His wife will now make that move alone without her high school sweetheart.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol says 40-year-old Keavin Thompson ran a red light at the intersection of Natal Street and Camden Road on March 12. NCSHP said Thompson collided with Prewitt’s car, killing him. Investigators believed Thompson was intoxicated during the wreck.
After the wreck, Thompson was taken to Cape Fear Valley Hospital where the Cumberland County assistant district attorney Lanny Freeman tells CBS 17 he had a detainer for a second-degree murder and DWI charge. However, Freeman said troopers lost track of Thompson during a transfer to UNC Medical Center. Thompson was discharged from the hospital and law enforcement has been unable to locate him since.
“We had no idea. We thought he was in the hospital, but no, he is just somewhere out there. We really hope they find him because he this is not his first offense,” said Parker.
CBS 17 looked into Thompson’s criminal history. Along with several drug charges, he was once charged with fleeing from a car wreck. Most recently, he’s failed to show up to court on three active DWI charges.
“We’re very scared, not only just for us, but for the entire community, because we’re really scared that he’s going to go out there and harm somebody else,” Parker said.
Assistant D.A. Freeman says he believes Thompson’s detainer paperwork was never passed on to UNC Medical Center during Thompson’s transfer. Its unclear how the hiccup happened or who is ultimately at fault.
Law enforcement is currenlty looking for Thompson, but so far he’s been able to evade them.
While Prewitt’s family grieves his loss, they hope Thompson is caught soon and held accountable.
“We really just want accountability for this, to find him and just to make sure that this doesn’t happen again because of him,” Parker said.
Thompson is scheduled to be in court on unrelated charges in May but if his pattern remains, he may not show up.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
