BROOKFORD, N.C. — Brookford Police Chief Willie Armstrong says he’s thankful for the support of the community after a judge dismissed charges against him in connection with a 30-year-old cold case murder.
Armstrong is back on the job with the Brookford Police Department, and he told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty that he won’t stop looking into the cold case murder of 13-year-old Dee Dee Dawkins.
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- Investigators probe police chief’s alleged secret recording of man linked to cold case murder
- Brookford police chief indicted, accused of destroying evidence in 1992 cold case
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- Trial begins for Brookford police chief accused of altering evidence in 1992 cold case
- Charges dismissed against police chief in connection with 30-year-old cold case
Armstrong was in his office Friday morning working in the town of Brookford.
On Thursday, the judge dismissed the charges against Armstrong for the felony of altering, destroying or stealing evidence, along with the misdemeanor of willful failure to discharge duties.
Both of the charges were in connection with the Brookford Police Department reopening the unsolved 1992 murder case.
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Prosecutors alleged that Armstrong went to the home of William Crooks to question him about the case but then the chief left his cell phone in the residence recording when he left.
His attorney told the jury that Chief Armstrong made a mistake, something he spoke with Channel 9 about Friday morning.
“I’ve always remained committed to being a chief and serving people and this agency with integrity. I think this whole thing has been a wild ride but a learning experience for all of us,” Armstrong told Channel 9 on Friday.
Armstrong told us each day this week that prosecutors offered him a plea to a lesser charge, but he says he refused.
Throughout the trial, he had support from Dawkins’ family, along with Brookford Mayor Roy Schronce.
“There wasn’t no evidence on that phone and all they were doing was wasting taxpayer money and they wasted a bunch of it,” Schronce told Faherty on Friday.
The mayor says Armstrong is the best chief he’s ever had in the town, and he can keep the job as long as he stays in office.