A Benson man who came to his mother’s aid after she was being violently attacked Tuesday afternoon during a domestic altercation will not face any criminal charges for fatally stabbing the suspect.
Johnston County deputies were called to a home at 1834 Mamie Road outside of Benson at 1:29pm.
Logan Kane Yeargin, 16, called 911 reporting that he had stabbed Timothy Paul Ledford Jr., 40, in the neck after Ledford physically assaulted his mother. During the 911 call Yeargin said Ledford was beating his mother and when he came towards him he stabbed Ledford in the neck. Toward the end of the call the sheriff’s dispatcher tells Yeargin to wait for medical instructions, to which he replied, “I ain’t going to save him. I ain’t saving him.”
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Ledford was being rushed to the hospital by ambulance when he died.
Wednesday afternoon, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release stating they had consulted with the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office and after a review of the facts and circumstances and a review of applicable law, Yeargin would not face any charges.
District Attorney Susan Doyle released a statement to WTSB Wednesday afternoon. “Under North Carolina General Statute 14-51.3, a person is justified in the use of deadly force…if he reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or another. After a review of the evidence including the call to 911, 16-year-old Logan Yeargin was justified in using deadly force against the assailant, Timothy Paul Ledford, after Ledford was assaulting Yeargin’s mother and attempted to assault Yeargin. While this is a very unfortunate situation for everyone involved, the law clearly allows Yeargin to protect himself and his mother from imminent death or great bodily harm. As a result, the District Attorney’s Office in consultation with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, determined that no criminal charges shall be filed.”
Ledford has an extensive criminal history including convictions for manufacturing methamphetamines, child abuse, felony drug possession and forgery.
On December 1, 2007, Ledford was arrested after he met an undercover narcotics agent with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office thinking the officer was a meth user and planned to cook methamphetamines. Ledford was also charged in a 2007 investigation called Operation Pill Crusher, a roundup of suspects who shopped pharmacies to purchase large quantities of pseudoephedrine to manufacture meth.
