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Man who led officers on nearly week-long chase sentenced to 10 years in prison
Kendrick Hurst originally escaped on May 4 and was on the run until May 10
Kendrick Hurst
Kendrick Hurst.
Evan Newton
Updated: Nov 27, 2024, 8:57 PM
Published: Nov 26, 2024, 10:47 PM

NEWTON COUNTY – A man who escaped custody earlier this year has been sentenced to substantial time in prison.

According to court documents, Kendrick Hurst of Oxford has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on an escape charge stemming from his days-long manhunt in May. The sentencing took place earlier this month after Hurst entered a negotiated guilty plea.

Hurst was also sentenced to 12 months for criminal trespass. The two sentences will run concurrent.

Additionally, Hurst also pleaded guilty in three other cases; a 2023 misdemeanor theft by taking; a 2023 burglary and a 2024 terroristic threats, fleeing from law enforcement, and other charges. With those, he was sentenced to 20 years on probation after he serves the 10 years on the escape charge.

On May 4, the NCSO announced that Hurst had escaped from custody while undergoing a medical visit at Piedmont hospital. Details are still unclear on how he exactly escaped.

Days later, video footage showed what appeared to be Hurst in the woods of a nearby Oxford residence standing off with officers. Despite the standoff, Hurst once again escaped and was not seen again until he was apprehended on May 10 in Wake County, North Carolina.

Hurst has since been in custody, leading up to his November sentencing.

Two others were charged with aiding Hurst in his escape. Gerald Harper of Oxford was the first arrested on May 7, while Diamante Seymour was arrested on May 13 after Hurst was already apprehended.

Court documents show that the original warrant against Seymour was dismissed in June due to concerns regarding the venue. However, after further investigation the Newton County District Attorney's Office presented the case to the grand jury in October, where an indictment against Hurst and Seymour was issued. Seymour has pleaded not guilty.

Harper’s case is still working through the court systems.
Newton County jury finds Covington man guilty of felony murder
Shane Robinson
Shane Robinson - photo by Courtesy of the Newton County Sheriff's Office
Kate Verity
Published: Mar 31, 2025, 9:15 PM

NEWTON COUNTY – On Monday afternoon, 30-year-old Shane Alexander Robinson of Covington was found guilty of killing Charles Edward Stanley III over three years ago.

The Newton County District Attorney’s Office released that a jury deemed that Robinson was guilty on three charges: Felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

On March 5, 2022, sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight, Robinson shot an AR-style firearm at a vehicle that Stanley was driving along Harvey Wood Drive. According to the District Attorney’s release, Robinson fired the weapon 13 times into the vehicle, killing Stanley.

According to a previous report by The Covington News, an arrest warrant stated that Robinson “grabbed his AR-15 (rifle) and drove” from his home to Harvey Wood Drive to “scare” Stanley.

“When Charles was backing up, Shane admitted to firing several rounds at the vehicle,” the 2022 warrant stated. “Furthermore, Shane also initially stated that he fired rounds at the vehicle as it was driving away.”

Robinson initially faced charges of murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, unauthorized discharge of firearms within 50 yards of the public highway, and reckless conduct. It is not clear if some of these charges were dismissed.

Sentencing is set for a later date, which has not been announced. A co-defendant’s case is still pending.