Durham detention officer's death caused by COVID

By Sarah Krueger, WRAL Durham reporter

Durham, N.C. — The death certificate for a Durham County sheriff's lieutenant shows he died of complications from COVID-19.

Lt. Terry Sampson, known as "Samp" to those who worked with him, died last month at Duke Regional Hospital, 12 days after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the certificate shows.

Sampson, 60, worked for the sheriff's office for 28 years, retiring in 2018, before returning part-time last year to work on background checks for recruits.

His is the second coronavirus death within the department.

Alexander Reginald Pettiway, a 55-year-old senior detention officer, died of the virus in April.