Man arrested in 1972 Johnston County murder dies in Central Prison

Larry Joe Scott died late Friday night at Central Prison in Raleigh. In 2019, Scott was arrested on murder charges for the 1972 death of Bonnie Neighbors, a Benson woman who disappeared while on her way to pick up her son from school.

Posted 5:15 p.m. Apr 18, 2022 — Updated 8:03 p.m. Apr 18, 2022

Ryan Bisesi

, WRAL multiplatform producer

RALEIGH, N.C. — An inmate at the center of a much-publicized case out of Benson has died nearly 50 years since his alleged involvement in Johnston County's oldest unsolved murder.

Larry Joe Scott, who was being housed by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety because of a medical condition, died late Friday night at Central Prison in Raleigh.

Thanks to DNA testing, Scott was arrested in 2019 in connection with a murder that occurred almost five decades prior.

Larry Joe Scott was awaiting trial on charges of first degree murder, rape and kidnapping in the 1972 death of Bonnie Neighbors. Scott went to the emergency room at Johnston Medical Center on March 21 and later transferred to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill. Scott, 68, was transferred to Central Prison on April 3.

In April 2007, Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell reopened the investigation of Neighbors. A pair of detectives worked the case for 12 years.

After Scott's DNA was found on evidence from the crime scene, and fingerprints belonging to Scott were found inside the victim’s car, Scott was arrested in Bradenton, Florida, on April 29, 2019.

"Today is a great day for the Neighbors family," Bizzell said at the time.

Neighbors, 33, disappeared in December 1972 while on her way to pick up her son from school.

"She was just ideal person that you could have as a sister," said Bonnie's sister, Rachel Wheeler. "She loved me unconditionally. She could tell me anything and I could tell her anything."

The Johnston County District Attorney’s office had obtained a trial date set for August 15.

“We were confident and ready for trial," District Attorney Susan Doyle said. "The evidence against Scott was conclusive and overwhelming. The DA’s Office is appreciative of the hard work of the Sheriff’s Office and the SBI. We are grateful that the advancement in forensic technology allowed us to absolutely and positively identify the murderer responsible for these heinous crimes.”

Sheriff Bizzell thanked Captain Buck Pipkin and Lt. Ryan Benson for their work on the case. He also credited the state crime lab, the SBI and Florida law enforcement agencies.

“I hope the family can find some closure, knowing that we got the right man,” Bizzell said.

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