Updated: 3:14 p.m.
Corey Tashombe Hines was convicted of first degree murder this morning (Thursday) in Columbus County Superior Court.
Superior Court Judge Tiffany Powers sentenced Hines to life without parole after the jury returned with a verdict around noon. The jury went into deliberations Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Heath Nance said, then reconvened Thursday morning for just over an hour.
Hines, 25, shot and killed Elliot Dew while attempting to shoot Deron Dewitt Blanks on Dec. 11, 2017, District Attorney Jon David said. Dew was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Blanks when Hines and Taquey Newkirk drove into the Happy Mart parking lot, and Hines opened fire.
Hines was seeking vengeance for the shooting death of his brother, Juwan Young, who was killed in November 2016. That killing remains unsolved.
“It is unclear whether Deron Blanks was a suspect in that murder,” David said in a press release, “however, Hines apparently believed he was involved.”
Video from the Sawmill Apartments ambush and shootout showed Hines firing multiple rounds in a BMW Blanks was driving. No one was injured in that incident, although several vehicles were hit. One apartment was also struck by gunfire. Edward Shipman was in his vehicle in the apartment complex parking lot when the gunmen opened fire in broad daylight. No injuries were reported. Blanks was later convicted in that shooting.
On Dec. 11, 2017, Hines and Taquey Newkirk found Blanks sitting in a Chevrolet Equinox with Dew at the Happy Mart on J.K. Powell Boulevard. Hines exited his vehicle and opened fire on the Equinox at close range with a 9mm semiautomatic.
Blanks was injured by gunfire but managed to escape the vehicle and seek cover. He lost a finger and sustained other injuries. Dew was hit twice in the head and died, David said.
At the time of the shooting, Whiteville Police reported finding multiple shell casings, money and “contraband” in the vehicle and the parking lot. Ballistic evidence determined the same firearm was used at the Sawmill shooting and the Happy Mart.
The two suspects were later hunted down by U.S. Marshals in a Clarkton apartment.
“Corey Hines turned the Sawmill Apartments and a convenience store parking lot into his own personal shooting gallery,” David said. “In his anger, he didn’t care who he endangered in addition to his target. He was a danger to the entire community.
“The victim in this case wasn’t even the target. The victim was blameless, yet he was the one who died.”
“This case serves as a vivid reminder of the need for young people to cooperate with law enforcement, rather than take matters into their own hands,” David said. “Everyone loses when we use ‘street justice’ rather than our traditional court system.”
Hines was originally charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, three counts of discharging a weapon into occupied property, two counts of injury to personal property and one count of discharging a firearm in the city for the Sawmill case. He was placed under a $610,000 secured bond. The murder charges were added later, and bond was denied.
Newkirk was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, three counts of discharging a weapon into occupied property, two counts of injury to personal property and one count of discharging a firearm in the city. He has not been charged with murder, Nance said. Newkirk entered a plea agreement with the state on the other charges.
Blanks, 36, was later arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, two counts of discharging a weapon into occupied property, two of injury to personal property and one charge of discharging a firearm in the city limits. He also faces drug trafficking charges from an unrelated case.
David praised Nance and ADA Sara McPherson for their work on the three-week trial, which was delayed twice by COVID-19. David is handling jury selection for the capital murder trial of Edward McKamey, which could start in October.
“Heath and Sara did an outstanding job on a tough case,” David said. “It was nearly three weeks, and it was complex. I am grateful to have such quality public servants in my office.”
“This was a team effort,” Nance said. “The Whiteville Police and SBI put a lot of work into this, as did our office. This was a good job on everyone’s part, and it resulted in a good verdict.”
David and Nance also thanked the jury. Nance noted that the jury asked to review the security footage of Sawmill a second time, and asked “good questions.”
“This took a lot of consideration on the part,” David said. “It was complex, but in the end, they made the right choice.”
