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2 die in Concord domestic shooting
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Published: October 4, 2008
Concord - A 28-year-old man accused of killing two Concord women Friday was captured after a four-hour standoff with police.
Police arrested Christopher Willard of 307 Highland Ave. SW without incident after investigators talked him out of a neighbor's home that he had barricaded himself inside at about noon, police said.
Melissa Jones, 27, of 301 Highland Ave. SW, died at the scene, and Joyce Fink, 57, of 314 Highland Ave., where the shooting took place, was transported to CMC-NorthEast, where she died of a gunshot wound, police said.
Friends of Jones said she and Willard had dated for several years but broke up earlier this year. Concord Major Wendell Rummage would not confirm this relationship but said investigators believed a domestic situation led to the shooting.
Willard had barricaded himself inside the house when police arrived, and the victims were laying in the backyard, officials said.
"We were in contact with him the entire time through telephone conversations, and investigators worked to resolve it peacefully," Rummage said. As investigators tried to coax Willard out, SWAT teams stood ready and contemplating whether to enter the home and remove him by force, officials said after the standoff ended.
Police were able to talk Willard from the home around 4 p.m. Police blocked off several roads near the scene, and were expected to reopen the roads after crime scene teams completed their investigation sometime Friday night or Saturday morning, officials said.
Terri Spry, Fink's daughter, said her father, Boyse Fink, who was working in the backyard repairing a trailer, escaped the shooting without injury. Spry said her mother had a stroke about a year and a half ago and was going through physical therapy to regain use of her left side. Joyce Fink was shot in the chin, Spry said.
"My mom was one of the greatest women I knew," Spry said, holding back tears. "She didn't deserve this. We didn't deserve this."
Jones made several trips a week to the Finks' home to help Joyce with her chores and assist her with rehabilitation, friends said. Friends believe Jones was at the neighbors' home Friday morning for those reasons.
"It's tough to think of something coming to this," Shawn Morris, a friend of Jones, said overlooking the police blockade. "She was a great friend and it's going to be tough to get over. She was such a great girl."
This wasn't the first time Concord Police had arrested Willard this year, court documents showed. Willard was out on a written promise to appear for a misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon charge stemming from an alleged April 15 encounter, documents stated. Willard was arrested May 16 and was scheduled to appear in the case Oct. 28.
Willard is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, Rummage said. He is being held at Cabarrus County Jail without bond.
This is Concord's second double homicide in less than four months.
Donna Barnhardt and Darrell Noles were shot and killed during an apparent robbery of the Sun-drop Bottling Co. on June 13.
• Contact reporter Josh Lanier: 704- 789-9144
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