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Iredell County man charged in mother's death

By Jenna Deery and Brittney Johnson, wsoctv.com
By Jenna Deery and Brittney Johnson, wsoctv.com

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — An Iredell County man could face the death penalty after detectives said he killed his own mother.

Victim Bobbie Frye, 79, shared a home on Alexander Acres in Mooresville with her son, Michael Frye. That is where her niece found her severely beaten before she died on Monday.

Her son stood with his hands cuffed and arms crossed Tuesday as the judge announced he's charged with her murder. The maximum sentence could be the death penalty.

His relative told Eyewitness News Frye suffers from mental health issues. Looking at his criminal record, Chief Deputy Marty Byers questions whether Frye may have fallen through the cracks.

"It shows how broken our judicial system is, whether you need people to be incarcerated or need help, it's obvious that they're not," Byers said.

Eyewitness News learned Frye was supposed to be in court for a DWI charge in Rowan County on the day of his mother's death. Over the years, he's been arrested on more than a dozen charges in five counties, including resisting an officer and assault with a deadly weapon. Some of the charges were dismissed.

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Iredell County deputies responded to a call that Frye assaulted his mother in 2013, but investigators said she signed a waiver asking not to press charges.

"It's sad. You know that people do that. I understand they want to protect their families, they want to be forgiven," Byers said. "Unfortunately in this case, they had a tragic ending."

The judge decided not to address Frye's bond Tuesday morning.

He is being held at the Iredell County Detention Center without bond. His next court date is set for Aug. 16.

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