Jury finds Danny Thomas guilty of murder in retrial

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Columbus County jury has found a man guilty of four counts of murder in his retrial.

Danny Lamont Thomas was sentenced to four consecutive counts of life without the possibility of parole. According to a news release, the state could not seek the death penalty because Thomas received a life sentence in his first trial.

The murders happened in 2005.   He was originally convicted in 2011, but the Court of Appeals determined the trial court made an error during the first trial, which led to the court ordering that Thomas be given new trials for the November 2005 killings of Anthony Martin, and Dennis and Regina Inman as well as a September 2005 shooting in Whiteville.

The new trial began on August 7.

More than 30 people testified and 427 pieces of evidence were introduced.

“The Defendant committed a series of heinous and premeditated killings in Columbus County deserving of maximum justice,” said District Attorney Jon David, “we have a solemn obligation to ensure that these convictions speak throughout time.”