Benson Police and the NC State Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday the arrest of a fourth suspect in the disappearance of Cole Thomas.
Jeremy Brian Carpenter, 42, of Taylor Falls, Minnesota was arrested July 18th by law enforcement authorities in Scandia, Minnesota. He was held in a Minnesota jail until he was extradited to North Carolina on Sunday. He appeared before a judge on Monday and was formally charged with four counts of felony obstruction of justice and one felony charge of concealment of a death.
Carpenter is being held in the Johnston County Jail under a $500,000 bond.
Last week, Julian Valles Jr., 34, of Dudley, Anthony Ridell James, 26, of Mt. Olive and Rudolfo DeLeon Jr., 27, of Mt. Olive were arrested.
Valles is charged with 3 felony counts of obstruction of justice and one felony count of concealing a death. He was confined in the Johnston County Jail under a $750,000 bond.
James was charged with one count each of obstruction of justice and concealing a death. He was jailed under a $350,000 bond.
DeLeon was charged with concealment of a death. He was held under a $1 million bond.
The four arrests came after Benson Police and the NC SBI presented their findings to a Johnston County Grand Jury earlier this month. The Grand Jury returned multiple indictments against the suspects.
In a press release Tuesday from Benson Police, authorities said no additional information would be released about Carpenter’s indictment due to ongoing court proceedings and the continuing investigation.
Thomas, 22, disappeared in Benson in November 2016. He has not been seen since then. His body has never been located.
