Former pastor will defend himself in death of NCCU student

Raleigh, N.C. — The man accused of killing a North Carolina Central University student and leaving her body along Interstate 540 in Raleigh has fired his defense attorney.

Robert Lee Adams Reaves is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Latrese Matral Curtis, 21. Drivers found her body along I-540 near Louisburg Road on the morning of Jan. 30, 2008. She had been stabbed nearly 40 times in the head, neck, chest and stomach.

Reaves announced his plan to defend himself Wednesday and signed a waiver dismissing attorneys George Kelly and Margaret Lunden.

Reaves’ trial is set to begin Sept. 21.

Also on Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens approved a motion by Kelly and Lunden to suppress evidence gathered in a search of Reaves’ home. Stephens agreed that Wake County sheriff's deputies had no jurisdiction to serve warrants for Reaves' computers, because Reaves at the time lived in Durham.

Wake County prosecutors have said Reaves killed Curtis in a jealous rage because she was having a romantic relationship with his roommate.

Reaves, who at the time was a minister at Cedar International Fellowship in Durham, has said he was at a church function the night Curtis was killed. Prosecutors have said police can prove he wasn't there.

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Latest Comments

I pray that he doesn't get off. He has slipped through the cracks so many times before. Eventually he will have to face the consequences of his actions

lanaur
September 14, 2009 11:59 a.m.

should have went with a lawyer there dude..in cases like that..you do not need to represent yourself.

Faceman
September 10, 2009 3:53 p.m.

I'm sure the prosecuting atty. is terrified. Even a real lawyer isn't that stupid.

5-113 FA Retired
September 10, 2009 3:01 p.m.

What a lot of us don't understand is that many people enter the ministry not because they have a relationship with God, but because they're attracted by the potential to make lots of money. That's why we shouldn't be surprised when pastors end up breaking the law - it's a job, not a calling.

BubbaDuke
September 10, 2009 2:51 p.m.

Here's more proof that fear-based "morals" don't work...the turn-or-burn mentality fails again.

It's much better to teach that we should do good because it's the right thing to do and it helps society in general...than to use the religious mantra of do-right-or-you-be-tortured.

We need to value thinking for ourselves and not just requiring threats to behave.