Monday, Oct. 29, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Valdese man died early Sunday morning after a botched home invasion at a neighbor's apartment, authorities said.
Joseph Jay Durkee, 35, was stabbed six times in the chest and the back and died shortly after midnight at Valdese General Hospital, said Chief John Suttle of the Valdese Police Department.
Henry Jackson, 59, told officers that he and his wife were sleeping in their Valdese home at about 11:55 p.m. Saturday when they heard glass shatter and found someone climbing into their apartment through a rear bedroom window, Suttle said.
Jackson and the man, who was wearing a stocking mask and gloves and was carrying a knife, Suttle said, began fighting and moving from one room to another.
"It was evident that there was a significant struggle," Suttle said.
Jackson told police he grabbed the mask off the man's head and recognized him as Durkee, who moved into the neighborhood from Florida a few months ago, Suttle said.
During the fight, Suttle said, Jackson grabbed the knife and stabbed Durkee several times. Durkee was taken to Valdese General Hospital, where he died.
Jackson received a few minor cuts on his hands during the altercation, Suttle said, and his wife, who called police during the break-in, was not injured.
Police have not charged anyone in the death and have turned their investigation over to the District Attorney's Office, Suttle said.
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1 comment:
Joseph J Durkee was a good man with a bad disease. Unfortunately, that bad habit brought him to some red kneck place where all the low-lives in his development were nothing but drug addicts and losers. Jay deserved better than that, both in his life and in his death. He was a kind hearted man, who loved God,his family and friends. He was a father, a son and my brother. There will not be a day for the rest of my life where I will not think of him. We were as close as brothers could be. I love him deeply. He will be greatly missed.
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