Serial peeper found dead in Roxboro home

Roxboro, N.C. — A man whose crimes led to a rewrite of North Carolina laws on peeping committed suicide in his Person County home last month, authorities said Wednesday.

Deputies found the body of John Thomas Whitt Jr., 60, on July 25 when they went to his Virgilina Road home near Roxboro to check on him because relatives said they hadn't heard from him in a while, Sheriff Dewey Jones said. Whitt had been dead at least two weeks before he was found, the sheriff said.

Whitt was convicted of dozens of peeping offenses a decade ago. Prosecutors said he secretly videotaped students undressing in dormitories at North Carolina State University and two sorority houses at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

His case was among a handful of peeping convictions to prompt lawmakers in 2003 to make peeping with video a felony in North Carolina.

Whitt was arrested last fall and charged with peeping at Chapel Hill's annual Halloween festival, and he faced charges in a June peeping incident at a Chapel Hill apartment complex.

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I do not condone John Whitt Jr.'s previous actions. Although, the simple fact that WRAL wrote, and published this article shows how low they will sink to generate "News". This man, while disgusting, does not need to be reported on posthumously in a negative manner. I don't care what he did in life. This report only further hurts those that care/cared for him, by reopening old wounds. Please report Actual news in the future instead of further disparaging this individual for his actions in life after death. I am disappointed by your actions on this matter because of it's obvious distasteful, and disrespectful nature.

bevmorgan56
August 8, 2012 6:02 p.m.

His crimes were not crimes of greed, but of ??? misguided sexual obsession. He did no physical injury and I wish he didn't feel the need to die and society had the power to help him. It's just so sad to live and die this way!

djofraleigh
August 8, 2012 5:42 p.m.

What a sad little man! Couldn't mental health help him and even be forced on him after repeated convictions?

djofraleigh
August 8, 2012 5:37 p.m.

Does anyone else find it poetic justice that a guy who snuck around peeping at women died without anyone noticing him? - Relic

No, I find it incredibly sad that this guy didn’t possess the self-control required to keep him from doing such sick things. Then he became a scourge of society who alienated everyone in his life - and ended up dying not only alone, but without anyone even noticing for weeks.

Don't get me wrong, he had to be “not right in the head” to do those things and deserved the punishment he already received and would have received ; I have NO tolerance for his actions.

It’s just sad when someone keeps screwing up and can’t get themself ”right” and ends up with no one caring about them.

CarolinianByChoice
August 8, 2012 5:03 p.m.

I saw a cereal peeper in wal-mart looking into all the Kellog's boxes !

AX MAN
August 8, 2012 4:39 p.m.