Former Triad economic developer found dead in Kure Beach

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — An embattled former economic developer from the Triad who briefly ran a concert venue in Wilmington was found dead in Kure Beach, the same day a Greensboro newspaper wrote an expose about his new life in Wilmington.

In 2016, David Powell was accused of embezzling more than $240,000 dollars from the Piedmont Triad Partnership, an economic development organization. His case is still pending. Chief Assistant Guilford County District Attorney Howard Neumann told the News & Record that the case was on hold until a parallel investigation by another agency could be completed.

Powell moved to New Hanover County and began running The Throne Theater, formerly Ziggy’s By the Sea. He also started using the name Finley Powell.

He briefly found a partner for the business in Carolina Beach cardiologist Dr. Damian Brezinski.  Brezinski has a passion for music. He started the non-profit “Keep the Beat Alive” in early 2016. Brezinski had also tried to buy the theater when it was Ziggy’s By the Sea, but was outbid.

Brezinski says Finley Powell offered to sell him 51-percent of the business. Brezinski says he soon realized the relationship wouldn’t work and ended up buying the remaining 49-percent.

Brezinski says the theater was a financial mess when he took over, both bills and employees had not been paid. That’s when he says he also realized Powell’s father, Orville Powell, had actually owned the theater.

On Saturday, Powell took his own life.

Powell’s attorney, Locke Clifford said in a statement, “The tragic story of demise of David Powell’s career, driven by a mental illness commonly called “depression”, has come to an even more tragic end. David took his own life yesterday. His family is devastated. As David’s criminal defense lawyer for the last two years, David, his family and I have worked hard to seek a fair resolution with the PTP lawyers and with the state and federal prosecutors,” it reads. “Sadly it has been to no avail. Good mental health is one’s most valuable asset. I am afraid we, as a community, spend much time on physical well-being issues and tend to minimize the equally important aspects of good mental health, without which, we have nothing.”