Pubdate: Fri, 07 Oct 2005
Source: Robesonian, The (Lumberton, NC)
Copyright: 2005 The Robesonian
Contact:  http://www.robesonian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1548
Author: Matt Elofson, Staff Writer

SBI INVESTIGATES MISSING EVIDENCE

Red Springs - The State Bureau of Investigation is trying to determine
how evidence in two separate cases disappeared from the Red Springs
Police Department.

District Attorney Johnson Britt requested the investigation on Sept.
29. Some of the evidence was for a murder trial and the other evidence
was 2 ounces of crack cocaine that had been seized by the SBI.

SBI agents have taken control of the Police Department's evidence room
and changed the locks on the door Tuesday, Britt said. Agents began an
inventory of items stored in the evidence room on Wednesday to compare
what is there with what logs show should be there.

Britt said he called for the investigation after his office was forced
to agree to a plea deal in the first-degree murder of Marcus
Galbreath. Galbreath, 30, was charged with the 2001 murder of Jeffrey
Thomas Fairley. But Britt said Red Springs police could not find four
shell casings collected at the crime scene, the victim's clothing, and
photographs.

Galbreath pleaded guilty last month to voluntary manslaughter. He was
sentenced to six to eight years in prison.

SBI agents on Sept. 28 went to the Police Department to collect drug
evidence that was part of an undercover investigation that occurred
during 2002. The drugs had been turned over to a Red Springs police
officer, but there was no written documentation that the drugs ever
existed, Britt said.

"The SBI is engaged in a federal drug investigation," Britt said. "It
includes a target, and as I recall, it was 2 ounces of crack cocaine
that was purchased. It cannot be accounted for right now."

Britt did not want to release the name of the Red Springs officer who
had handled the cocaine.

Red Spring Police Chief Lum Edwards appeared to be taken by surprise
by the investigation.

"All I know is they said they wanted to help us straighten out our
(evidence) room," Edwards said.

He said his department is using different lockers to store any new
evidence that is collected.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Derek