Police Chief Dies; Suspect Arrested

Gloria Nicholson, 25, also was shot and killed. Her husband, Abner Nicholson, 32, was arrested late Thursday night after an intense manhunt.He faces two counts of first-degree murder.

Hathaway, who had been with the Sharpsburg police for about 25 years, wasshot while responding to a domestic dispute at the Nicholsons' trailer inWeaver's mobile home park. Sharpsburg is a largely rural town of about2,000 people where the Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson county lines meet. Thepolice department had six officers, including the chief.

Hathaway was airlifted from Nash General Hospital to Duke Medical Centershortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. More than 20 friends and family membersgathered at the hospital and stood vigil. Hathaway was pronounced deadshortly after 6 a.m. Friday.

Abner Nicholson, a mechanic who had recently lost his job, was arrestedlate Thursday night. A team of more than 100 law enforcement officers fromEdgecombe to Wake counties had launched an extensive manhunt just afterthe shootings.

Earlier in the day, officers surrounded the Starlight Mote when theythought Nicholson might have been hiding there. A search of the motelturned up empty.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol kept its helicopter up well into the night Thursday searching for Nicholson, who fled on foot into woods nearthe mobile home. Earlier in the day, a detective also flew with WRAL'sSky5, which helped with the search.

When night fell, the helicopters used heat-sensing equipment to help officers search in the dark for Nicholson. Highway patrol officers cordoned of an area with a radius of 5 miles around the crime scene and stopped allvehicles leaving the area to make sure Nicholson was not a stowaway.

Nicholson was found less than a mile from the mobile home he recentlyshared with his wife, Gloria. Acquaintances say the couple had been havingdomestic problems and had recently separated. Covered with dirt, he wascuffed and taken to Wilson County Jail. Police say he offered little resistance.

At a press conference Friday, authorities said Hathaway had gone to thecouple's mobile home because Gloria Nicholson had reported a domesitcdisturbance. After entering the home and talking with the couple, policesay, Nicholson turned suddenly and shot Hathaway once in the head at point-blank range, then shot his wife at least once, killing her. He alsofired shots at Gloria's stepfather, Michael Badger of Kenly, and her14-year-old stepbrother. Neither was injured.

Investigators say Nicholson used a small, .22-caliber pistol in the shootings. They found the suspected weapon just before noon Friday nearNicholson's hiding spot. The gun, similar to the one pictured at left, iseasy to hide in a pocket or hand. Authorities say the suspect had pawnedthe gun, along with some camera equipment and some other items, about twoweeks ago. The day before the shooting, he returned to the Sharpsburg pawnshop to retrieve the gun.

A pawnshop clerk says all the paperwork was properly completed on thegun transfer, but it appears Nicholson may have falsified the form inorder to get the gun back. The form included a question regarding priordomestic violence convictions. Nicholson reportedly answered no to thequestion.

Diana Nicholson, the suspect's sister says she finds the whole episodehard to believe.

Nicholson's former employer, Irene Johnson of D.J. Tire Service, lethim go last Tuesday. She says he was quiet, but undependable.

Hathaway is the second area law enforcement officer in the last week tobe shot while on duty. Hathaway, a 47-year-old divorced father of one son, has been Chief of Sharpsburg's 6-person police force for nearly 25 years.

Wilson County Sheriff Wayne Gay said at a press conference Thursday thatMrs. Nicholson had requested a warrant for the arrest of her husband onassault charges Wednesday night. Thursday, he said, the suspect returnedto the mobile home to get some clothing. That's when the shooting started.

A memorial fund has been established for Hathaway's family. Contributionscan be sent to theWayne Hathaway Memorial Fund, Triangle Bank,P.O. Box 123, Sharpsburg, NC, 27878.

A separate fund has been set up forGloria Nicholson at TriangleBank, P.O. Box 123, Sharpsburg, NC, 27878. Donations will go toher 8- and 2-year-old children.

,Bret Baier,Brian Bowmanand Mark Roberts, MJ AinsleyandJohn Conway