Suspect arrested in North Chatham murder

Posted Thursday, June 28, 2007

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Pittsboro, NC - Chatham County Investigators have arrested a Durham man for the murder of a North Chatham woman who was found in her home more than 6 weeks ago. The North Carolina State SBI Mobile Crime Lab and numerous field agents assisted deputies in the investigation. On Saturday, May12, Chatham County deputies responded to Red Pine Road in Northern Chatham County to inquire on the well-being of a woman who her parents said haven’t heard from her in several days. Around 9:10 am, deputies found the body of a white female, later identified as Tracy Lynn Baldwin, 38, of 29 Red Pine Road, Chapel Hill.

The location of the incident is in Chatham Development, which is off of Mann’s Chapel Road in northern Chatham County. The victim was transported to the State Medical Examiners Office in Chapel Hill for autopsy and the results of the autopsy indicated that Baldwin died of blunt force trauma.

Investigators focused on a suspect, Louis Ephraim Wilson III, 28, of 5606 Newhall Road, Durham after making a connection between him and the victim. They met after attending “Alcohol Anonymous” together.

It was discovered by investigators that Wilson used Baldwin’s bank card to remove an undisclosed amount of money from her checking account after she was last seen alive by neighbors and family members. Investigators also waited on critical DNA information from the SBI Crime Lab that connected the suspect to the crime scene. The information came to investigators last week and Wilson was indicted Monday morning and arrested and charged Monday afternoon. Wilson was charged with First Degree Murder, jailed under no bond and is scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on August 20th.