Man held on murder, assault charges

Darrell Wayne Buchanan's ex-wife's boyfriend was killed

Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

A Newland man is facing murder and assault charges after a nearly 14-hour search and standoff in the Blue Ridge Mountains ended Wednesday.

Darrell Wayne Buchanan, 47, was charged Wednesday with murder and could face other felony charges, including kidnapping and assault on an officer with a deadly weapon.


His ex-wife's boyfriend, 49-year-old Thurman Ray Hudson, was killed Tuesday night in a dispute that later led to an overnight standoff at Hudson's Jonas Ridge home.

It all started shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday, said Burke County sheriff's Maj. David Pendley, when a Burke deputy responded to a domestic dispute at Hudson's home.


Burke County asked for assistance from Avery County, and Avery sheriff's Sgt. Mike Ellenburg arrived first, Pendley said.

Lola Mae Carpenter Buchanan flagged Ellenburg down as she drove from the home in a Jeep. Darrell Buchanan was sitting in the passenger seat, Pendley said.


Authorities said the woman screamed that her ex-husband was going to kill her and would try to injure Ellenburg.

Ellenburg told authorities he then saw the man point the rifle at him. He drove away from the Jeep and heard a shot. When he turned around to pursue the Jeep, he told authorities he saw the man get out and fire several shots at the patrol car.


Ellenburg was not hit, but received minor injuries when bullets shattered the windows. The Jeep, meanwhile, returned to the mobile home, Pendley said.

That's when Burke Deputy Scott Bray arrived, Pendley said. Authorities got closer and saw Hudson's 11-year-old twin boys screaming in the front yard. Their father, pronounced dead a short time later, was lying nearby, authorities said.


The man jumped out of the Jeep, Pendley said, and ran behind the home.

Authorities were not sure if the man had gone into the home or into the woods, so SWAT team members from Burke and Avery counties, Hickory and other municipalities surrounded the area.
After several hours, they got the man in the home on the phone, Pendley said, and by 11:50 a.m. Wednesday persuaded him to come out.


Buchanan was treated for at least one bullet wound in his left arm, Pendley said. Burke Sheriff John McDevitt said in a press release that investigators "know that it didn't come from any law enforcement officers."

Darrell Buchanan was being held in a Burke County jail Wednesday.

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