Fugitive woman caught for murder of her mother

BROAD RIVER COMMUNITY, N.C. (WLOS) — A fugitive 40-year-old woman was arrested and charged with the premeditated murder of her mother.

Danya Kathryn Dewey is in custody at the Buncombe County Detention Facility after Lori Pallinger was found dead during a wellness check at 23 Clarks Crossing Way on Thursday.

The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office said it was searching for Dewey in the Broad River community.

“When I came home, I thought I heard a gunshot up here. And when he came home, he thought he heard one. When I was up here on the ridge, I heard a gunshot way back,” said neighbors Will Roberts and his father-in-law Chris Pridgen.

Pridgen and Roberts added that there were no signs of anything unusual on the property where Pallinger was found when they left for work early Thursday morning.

The sheriff's office said it was assisted by Asheville police in arresting Dewey.

“Dewey's vehicle was located by Asheville Police Department patrol officers. She was identified in the vehicle and refused to exit when ordered,” Christina Esmay, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, told WLOS.

She said officers were able to de-escalate the situation and convince Dewey to exit the vehicle. She was then taken into custody without incident. Asheville police said the arrest occurred at 9:05 p.m. on August 22 near the intersection of Vivian Avenue and Dortch Avenue.

Dewey's first court date is Monday.

The sheriff's office said the investigation is still ongoing and that no further information can be released at this time.