Woman up for parole 25 years after murder conviction

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A woman convicted a quarter century ago for murdering a man in New Hanover County is eligible for parole.

The North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission says it is investigating whether Dreamer Lee Cottle Alston, 57, should be granted parole through the Mutual Agreement Parole Program (MAPP). MAPP is a scholastic and vocational program that is a three-way agreement between the commission, the Division of Prisons and the offender.

NC Department of Public Safety records show Alston was convicted on Jan. 4, 1990, of first-degree murder. A StarNews article from Jan. 2, 1990, said Alston was about to go on trial for the August 1989 shooting death of Pernell Dewayne Joe, 22. According to the story, Alston killed Joe after he fought with her husband. A year after her trial, the North Carolina Supreme Court upheld Alston’s conviction.

NCDPS records show Alston has committed 17 violations during her time in prison, including theft, threats and sexual acts.

The state’s current Structured Sentencing law eliminates parole for crimes committed on or after Oct. 1, 1994, but offenders convicted of crimes before that date are still eligible for parole under the sentencing guidelines in place at the time.