Faris C. Dixon, Jr., Pitt County District Attorney

08/28/2026

PRESS RELEASE

On August 27th, after a two day trial, Chad Edward Coggins was found guilty by a jury of Felony Assault on a Female which he committed in Bell Arthur on November 1, 2024. He was sentenced to 120-156 months (10-13 years) in prison.

The District Attorney's Office would like to thank Deputy Carlos Polanco for his efforts in the case, without which this result would not have been possible.

08/27/2026

08/26/2026

PRESS RELEASE
August 26, 2026

On the evening of Saturday, December 7, 2024, Greenville Police responded to the intersection of Evans Street and Deck Street in response to shots fired and a motor vehicle collision. Officers arriving on scene discovered that a 2006 Nissan Sentra had been struck by an oncoming minivan while attempting to turn left onto Deck Street. The Nissan Sentra had a bullet hole through the front passenger door. Investigation determined that the minivan was not involved in the shooting and had not been at fault in the wreck.

Review of city camera footage showed a white Toyota Camry with a black sunroof had driven north on Evans past the Nissan Sentra immediately prior to the crash. Officers observed two distinct muzzle flashes coming from the Toyota Camry, and they recovered two spent 9mm shell casings from the scene. Using city cameras and previously-gathered criminal intelligence, officers determined the direction of travel and registration plate number for the suspect vehicle. Officers located that Toyota Camry about 20 minutes after the shooting and stopped it near the intersection of Arlington and Firetower.

Zyquan Tyhiem Smith was in the driver’s seat of the Camry when it was stopped. Officers found a spent 9mm shell casing under the passenger seat along with a live 9mm round in the center console, and they placed both Mr. Smith and Mr. Travon Ward (who had been in the passenger seat at the time off the stop) under arrest.

Officers Lavin, Pullicino, and T. Rainone led the investigation. They utilized gunshot residue test kits to collect samples from both men, which they then submitted to the North Carolina State Crime Lab for testing. They secured search warrants for the contents of both men’s cell phones. Examination by an expert at the crime lab of the gunshot residue kit collected from Zyquan Smith revealed the presence of particles characteristic to primer gunshot residue had been present on his hands at the time of his arrest. GPS points collected from his phone tracked with the movements of the suspect vehicle in the moments before, during, and after the shooting.

Defendant Travon Ward pleaded guilty to a Class E felony in January 2026. Defendant Zyquan Smith pleaded not guilty. Defendant Smith’s trial began on Monday, August 24, 2026. Assistant District Attorney Chris Williams represented the State of North Carolina. On Tuesday August 25, after the State rested its case-in-chief, Defendant Zyquan Smith changed his plea to guilty.

With the agreement of the State and the Defendant, the Court sentenced Defendant Zyquan Smith to a minimum to 128 months in the Department of Adults Corrections for the offenses of Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle in Operation and Possession of Firearm by Felon (with a corresponding maximum sentence of 166 months).

08/21/2026

PITT COUNTY JURY CONVICTS DOMINIC EDWARDS OF FIREARM BY FELON; SENTENCED TO 76-104 MONTHS AS HABITUAL FELON.

GREENVILLE, N.C. – On 7/9/2024 Grifton Police arrested Dominic Edwards following a traffic stop for Mr. Edwards having outstanding warrants for missing court. After searching the vehicle, a R***r .22 caliber revolver was recovered under Mr. Edward’s seat. Mr. Edwards is a convicted felon, having been convicted of Second-Degree Murder on April 28, 2008, so he is not to possess any firearm.
On 6/9/2025, a grand jury returned a true bill for Firearm by Felon, as well as finding Mr. Edwards had attained the status of habitual felon, meaning on three separate occasions Mr. Edwards had been convicted of felony offenses. On 8/11/2026, a jury was empaneled, who then returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on the charge of Firearm by Felon. Mr. Edwards then stipulated to his status as a habitual felon. The Honorable Judge Lamont Wiggins sentenced Mr. Edwards to 76 – 104 months in prison. The state was represented by Assistant District Attorney Ann Miller.

08/21/2026

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 21, 2026

Tyrell Best sentenced to Life Without Parole in 2023 Greenville Murder

On the morning of October 8, 2023, Officers from the Greenville Police Department responded to the area of Tyson Street and Battle Street in regards to a suspected human body in a trash can. Officers found the body of 35 year old Antonio Bond in a trash can with a gunshot wound through his right arm into his chest. Greenville Police Department Crime Scene Analyst, Detective Drueschler, processed the crime scene that included blood on the trash can and drag marks that led back to a pool of blood on the street curb on Battle Street. Large drops of blood led up Battle Street to a single 380 shell casing. The trail of blood ended at the victim’s cellphone and box cutter, which were 35 feet away from the shell casing.

Officers and Detectives were able to develop leads that resulted in a suspect. Two days after Antonio Bond’s body was found, Detective Elias with the Greenville Police Department along with District Attorney Investigator Johnson were able to speak with the defendant, Tyrell Best. Despite Best’s initial denial of any involvement, his interview led to a statement. Best admitted that he was on Battle Street and that he shot Antonio Bond with a 380 handgun, but he claimed it was in self-defense. Best claimed the victim cut his stomach and showed investigators a cut on his stomach. He claimed that he shot Bond at close range in self-defense.

The autopsy of the victim revealed the path of the bullet through his right arm, into his underarm, and through his chest ending on his left ribs. The autopsy found no stippling, which is burn marks from burning gunpowder hitting the skin from close range. A later DNA analysis by the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory of the box cutter revealed that there was no presence of blood on the blade of the boxcutter, helping to prove that Best’s story was not true.

After a four-day trial, jurors found Tyrell Best guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Second-Degree Murder for killing Antonio Bond. After the initial verdict, Assistant District Attorney Joel Stadiem presented enhancements for Habitual Felon and Violent Habitual Felon in a trifurcated trial. Violent Habitual Felon is a status offense that enhances a violent felony to a Life Without the Possibility of Parole if the Defendant has two prior violent felonies that do not overlap from the date of offense to the date of conviction prior to the commission of the current violent felony. Habitual Felon is status offense that enhances punishment for having three prior felonies of any kind that do not overlap from date of offense to the date of conviction prior to the commission of the current felony. The Habitual Felon enhanced the Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. The Honorable Judge Seth Edwards sentenced the defendant to Life Without Parole for the Violent Habitual Felon enhancement of the violent felony of Second Degree Murder and a 127 months minimum to 165 months maximum (10.5 years min. – 13.75 years max.) for the Habitual Felon enhancement to the Possession of a Firearm by a Felon conviction which will run at the expiration of the Life Without Parole sentence.

A special thank you for the hard work and cooperation of the officers and detectives of the Greenville Police Department along with the staff of the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office.

08/11/2026

PRESS RELEASE

On November 19, 2025, officers with the Greenville Police Department stopped a vehicle on South Village Dr. for having a revoked license plate. When officers approached the vehicle, they saw what appeared to be drug paraphernalia around the center console. A search of the vehicle resulted in finding 2 fi****ms with the ammunition for those fi****ms in a bag held by a passenger, Jeremy Whichard. After running his record, officers placed Whichard under arrest for Possession of a Firearm by a felon. Last week, Whichard pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon along with attaining the status offense of Habitual Felon, which increases the punishment for crimes. Whichard was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Regina Parker to 88 months minimum to 118 months maximum (7 years and 4 months min. to 9 years and 10 months max.) in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.

07/30/2026

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2026

On May 28, 2025, Greenville Police arrested Mark Eldridge Joyner in connection with the armed robberies of three local businesses: Burger King on Stantonsburg Road on the morning of May 22, Murphy USA on Greenville Boulevard on the night of May 26, and Taco Bell on Arlington Boulevard on the morning of May 28. Major Crimes Detectives C. Donaldson, A. Elias, and J. Dixon led the investigation.

On July 14, 2025, the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office secured indictments charging Defendant Mark Eldridge Joyner with three counts of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and with having attained the status of Habitual Felon.

Trial began on Monday, July 27, 2026. On Thursday July 30, after deliberating for a little over an hour, a unanimous jury convicted Defendant Mark Eldridge Joyner of all six counts. After being convicted at trial for the underlying charges, Defendant stipulated to having attained the status of Habitual Felon. The Honorable Regina Parker, Superior Court Judge Presiding, sentenced Mr. Joyner to six consecutive terms of 180 to 228 months in the Department of Adult Corrections. The state was represented by Assistant District Attorney Chris Williams.

07/28/2026

We have had numerous calls and messages regarding the recent passing of Pitt County Sheriffs Office canine, Deputy Chilli.

That matter is out for referral. Further inquiries should be directed to the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys.

Thank you.

07/23/2026

PRESS RELEASE
July 23, 2026

Pitt County man sentenced to 21 years minimum to 27 years maximum in prison for Attempted Murder and Assault With a Deadly Weapon With the Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury.

District Attorney Faris Dixon announces that Darryl Edward Haymon pled guilty on Tuesday July 21st to Attempted Murder and Assault with a Deadly Weapon With the Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury. This incident stemmed out of an incident from October 3rd, 2024, where Haymon came into a home on Randolph Court in Greenville with a handgun and a knife and shot and stabbed the victim. Deputies from the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office responded immediately to the scene, where the victim’s life was saved with the help of EMS.

While investigating the felony assault, Deputies responded to information regarding the location of Haymon. A high speed chase ensued eventually leading to a wreck on Circle Dr. off of Hwy. 33. Haymon was found a short distance away on Springhill Rd. The quick response time from the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office along with assistance from Greenville Police Department and Winterville Police Department led to the apprehension of Haymon and the recovery of the weapons. After a thorough investigation by detectives and forensic analysts, expert analysis ant the North Carolina Crime Laboratory was able to place the victim’s blood on the knife and firearm that were recovered from Haymon’s wrecked vehicle.

A jury was selected at trial in the case on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning before the defendant pled guilty to the Attempted Murder and AWDWIKISI charges. The Honorable Judge Regina Parker sentenced the defendant to 252 months minimum to 327 months maximum (21 years min. – 27 years and 3 months max.) in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections. The State was represented by Assistant District Attorney Joel Stadiem. A special thank you to the tireless work of the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office including Detective J. Jordan, Deputy J.R. Baker, and forensic analyst N. Hollingsworth.