Suspect in domestic violence killing linked to other murders

Franklinton police arrested Garry Yarborough in July for the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend. While he sits in Central Prison awaiting trial, investigators have linked him to other murders in Johnston and Wake counties, his attorneys said.

Posted 11:12 p.m. Sep 24, 2015 — Updated 11:12 p.m. Sep 24, 2015

RALEIGH, N.C. — Franklinton police arrested Garry Yarborough in July for the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend. While he sits in Central Prison awaiting trial, investigators have linked him to other murders in Johnston and Wake counties, his attorneys said.

Yarborough is being represented by a public defender because his first defense team, Thomas Manning and Boyd Sturges, quit the case after a hearing this week in which they told a judge about additional suspicions about Yarborough's violent history.

Sturges said Yarborough refused to take their advice.

The attorneys did not give details about the cases to which Yarborough is linked, but they did say the cases are several years old, and that Yarborough wrote a letter to the Johnston County Sheriff's Office providing information.

Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle declined to say whether he's wanted for any unsolved murders, only saying Yarborough may face charges in her county. Johnston County Sheriff's Office Captain Jeff Caldwell confirmed that investigators learned Yarborough had information about a homicide case.

The Wake County District Attorney's Office did not return a call about Yarborough.

Witnesses said Yarborough ambushed Tracy Williams on July 26 at an ATM in Franklinton. Williams' friends and family said she took several steps to protect herself from after she split from Yarborough, including changing her vehicle, buying a handgun, taking a class to obtain a concealed carry permit, getting a restraining order against him and notifying police when he contacted her.

Witnesses said Williams shot Yarborough once before her gun jammed, and Yarborough then chased her down and shot her in the face.

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