Woman killed at domestic violence shelter, husband sought,NC

Woman killed at domestic violence shelter, husband sought,NC
Woman killed at domestic violence shelter, husband sought September 21, 2006 SYLVA, N.C. (AP) -- A man accused of pushing his way into a domestic violence shelter in North Carolina and killing his estranged wife is being sought Thursday by authorities who believe he fled in a stolen car and may be in Tennessee. John Raymond Woodring is accused of shooting 48-year-old Bonnie Woodring to death Monday night. Sylva police Chief Jeff Jamison says Woodring already was wanted on domestic violence charges for allegedly trying to strangle his wife. Bonnie Woodring had moved to the shelter after the strangulation attempt. Police say her husband pushed past an employee leaving for the night and gunned his wife down in the kitchen using a shotgun. Sylva is in Jackson County, North Carolina. That's in the southwest tip of the state, near the Tennessee border http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=5439801&nav=0RYv

Domestic violence shelters on high alert after N.C. shooting
Domestic violence shelters on high alert after N.C. shooting Woman killed at domestic violence shelter, husband sought September 21, 2006 KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Many local domestic violence shelters are on high alert after learning of a deadly shooting in Sylva, North Carolina. Police in Sylva say John Raymond Woodring pushed his way into a domestic violence shelter, and shot and killed his estranged wife who was staying there. Investigators believe Woodring is now headed to Tennessee or Pennsylvania, where two of his ex-wives live. Security has become top priority at many safe houses in the surrounding area. While visiting one safe house, 6 News met a woman from Sylva, North Carolina. She says she left to come to Tennessee because she did not feel safe at the safe house in Sylva. The woman, who asked her identity be kept anonymous, says visitors were allowed to come and go as they pleased from the safe house in Sylva. She feels this murder could have been prevented if security there was tighter. "I'm still upset because it shouldn't have happened." The murder of Janet Woodring hits close to home for this victim. She says she lived in the shelter for a short time when Woodring did. She remembers Woodring as a quiet woman who did not talk about her problems and took care of all the other women at the shelter. The victim says everyone in Sylva knew where the safe house was. "Everyone in Sylva and surrounding counties knows where it is. People all the way into Asheville knows where the safe house in Sylva is." Keeping the location a secret is a challenge for many safe houses but it's one of the most important security measures. Most of the homes look like any you'd expect to see in any neighborhood. It's for the safety and peace of mind of the victims living in terror of their abusers inside. Woodring's murder has made victims and advocates of domestic violence realize how fragile their sense of security really is. Debra Lawson is a survivor and advocate of domestic violence. She says a big challenge is knowing who you can trust. "Who do you trust to keep it confidential? What happened in Sylva only confirms that are true safety issues surrounding domestic violence." Security begins at the front door at most safe houses. Most of them have special locks that ensure the door can only be opened from the inside. No visitors are allowed there. Staff say, by law, even police officers or repair men have to notify them before going there on business. No mail is delivered to the safe house. They have a post office box set up for mail. Some safe houses work with local cab companies to provide rides for women so they can go to work or run errands. Drivers have to sign confidentiality agreements promising they will not reveal the location of the safe house. Many homes are protected by at least half a dozen cameras located outside the house. Most are manned 24 hours a day. Staff will not let anyone into the home unless they know who they are and why they're there. Women living there have to sign confidentiality agreements and take an oath promising they will never reveal the location, even after they've left. The doors and windows are locked at all times. The homes are also protected by sophisticated alarm systems. If the alarm goes off, the alarm company will call the home. If they are not given the right code word,, police are dispatched immediately. So what happens if an abuser does find out his victim is living there? Staff members say the victim is relocated to another safe house immediately. http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=5441683&nav=0RYv

Search for N.C. man accused shooting estranged wife expands
Search for N.C. man accused of shooting estranged wife expands SYLVA, N.C. The search for a man accused in the shooting death of his estranged wife at a domestic violence shelter in North Carllina has expanded to include seven states. Law enforcement agencies in North Carolina, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Texas, Tennessee and Pennsylvania have joined in the manhunt for John "Woody" Raymond Woodring. His wife, Bonnie Woodring, was killed Monday night. John Woodring was already wanted on domestic violence charges after being accused of violating a protective order and trying to strangle his wife at her home. After an attack last week, Bonnie Woodring and her 13-year-old son from a previous marriage moved to the shelter. Investigators say her husband was carrying a shotgun and pushed past a staff worker who was leaving the shelter for the night. He then shot his wife in the kitchen http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5442132&nav=1Tj

Man accused of shooting estranged wife was counselor at WCU SYLVA, N.C. - A man accused in the shooting death of his estranged wife at a domestic violence shelter was a teaching assistant at Western Carolina University, where he also was studying for a master's degree in counseling, officials said. Authorities continued to search Thursday for John "Woody" Raymond Woodring, a Sylva police spokesman said. His wife, Bonnie Woodring, was killed Monday night. Police said the suspect may be trying to find help in Pennsylvania, where he's from, or Tennessee, where he has connections. John Woodring, 35, was already wanted on domestic violence charges after being accused of violating a protective order and trying to strangle his wife at her home. Western Carolina does not usually check the criminal backgrounds of its graduate student teachers, said Leila Tvedt, associate vice chancellor for public relations. Reports about criminal history, if received by the school, would trigger such a search, she said. "I can assure you that if it had come to their attention they would have examined it closely," she said. All students are asked if they have committed a crime when applying to the school. "That doesn't automatically disqualify you as a student," Tvedt said. "However, it certainly raises a red flag." Woodring's criminal record in Jackson County includes misdemeanors such as forgery, theft and driving while impaired. He was charged with domestic violence while in a previous marriage, and a federal court ordered him to stay away from another woman after a conviction for trespassing. He became a student at Western Carolina in 2001, where he earned a bachelor's degree in sociology. After an attack last week, Bonnie Woodring, 48, and her 13-year-old son from a previous marriage moved to the shelter. Investigators said her husband, carrying a shotgun, pushed past a staff worker who was leaving the shelter for the night, then shot his wife in the kitchen. She and her son were the shelter's only occupants, and the boy was not in the kitchen at the time. Woodring was believed to have fled in a stolen blue Honda Civic, and was considered armed and dangerous. Investigators issued a nationwide alert for Woodring and the stolen car, said Officer Tammy Hooper. On his Web site, Woodring begged for forgiveness in one of his last messages to his wife. He promised he would change and the violence would end. That message was similar to a newspaper advertisement he paid for almost 10 years ago that sought to win back a previous wife after he was charged with assaulting her. http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/15574570.htm

suspect went “Jekyll to Hyde”John "Woody" Ray
Friends: Shooting suspect went from “Jekyll to Hyde” published September 19, 2006 12:31 pm WAYNESVILLE – People who knew the Jackson County man suspected of shooting his wife to death at a Sylva women’s shelter described him as being intensely jealous of his wife. Frank Lauer, former commander of American Legion Post 47 in Waynesville said John "Woody" Raymond Woodring, 35, and his wife, Bonnie Woodring were members and visited the club a couple of times a week early in their relationship. He said Bonnie Woodring bought her new husband a Corvette and two boats after receiving a child-support settlement from her second husband. Woodring was her third husband, Lauer said. He said Woodring, who everyone called Woody, was a seemingly happy person unless he thought someone was interested in his wife. “Mental-wise, if you looked at him he seemed happy-go-lucky and would shake your hand,” Lauer said. “Then he went from Jekyll to Hyde.” Lauer said Woodring was kicked out of the Waynesville Veterans of Foreign Wars post for threatening to fight a member. Mark Leopard, a member of the American Legion who knew Woodring, said he was surprised to learn of the shooting. “But they feuded and fought a lot,” he said. Sylva Police Chief Jeff Jameson said investigators believe Woodring pushed his way past a shelter worker about 9 p.m. Monday and shot his wife. Authorities in at least two counties are looking for Woodring, who police believe escaped in a stolen car. Haywood County deputies this morning were called to the Dark Ridge Road in the Balsam area after someone reported seeing Woodring but they found nothing. http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060919/NEWS01/60919012/1150

Looking at going nationwide with this
UPDATED WITH NEW DETAILS, PHOTO, VIDEO: "Looking at going nationwide with this" updated September 21, 2006 6:45 pm SYLVA – Investigators in the murder of 48-year-old Bonnie Woodring on Thursday searched her husband’s car and planned to send a computer found inside to North Carolina’s state crime lab. Police in at least six states were on the lookout for John “Woody” Woodring and Sylva Police Chief Jeff Jamison, whose department is heading the murder investigation, said the search could go nationwide. “We are perhaps looking at going nationwide with this,” he said. “There is some discussion about contacting America’s Most wanted.” Even as authorities continued their search, new details about Woodring’s strange life emerged. According to court documents in Jackson County, Woodring was married to another woman when he married Bonnie Woodring. Court records show he listed Bonnie Woodring a his wife on a land deed filed Sept. 8, 2005 but did not officially divorce a woman he had been married to until Nov. 21 of that year. Woodring may have married Bonnie Woodring in another state. Their marriage license is not on file in Jackson County. The Jackson County records and records from the Cherokee Tribal Court show Woodring has been married four times in Western North Carolina since 1992. Police impounded the black Corvette they searched Thursday three days before they believe Woodring shouldered his way into a Sylva shelter for abused women and killed his wife with shotgun blast. Jamison said waited three days after the shooting to searching the car because his officers needed technical help from the State Bureau of Investigation. Six officers spent the day on all-terrain vehicles searching a remote part of Jackson County for Woodring, the chief said. He would not say where the investigators are searching. Woodring has been on the run since Monday. Jamison called the search locally “painstaking.” “As we exhaust leads in the area we have to start to expand our search,” he said. At least 10 law enforcement agencies in North Carolina, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Texas and Pennsylvania have joined in the manhunt, the chief said. Some of those officers are involved in on-the-ground searches, Jamison said, although he said homes have not been searched in other states. An SBI plane and State Highway Patrol helicopters searched from the air Tuesday and Wednesday. Family members of Bonnie Woodring live in the Houston area. Woody Woodring has family in Maryland and in Altoona, Pennsylvania, according to the SBI. The FBI’s Asheville office said it’s not involved in the hunt, but Jamison said National Park Service rangers and other, unnamed federal agencies have joined in. In addition to those tracking down leads, other officers were asked to be on the lookout for Woodring. A description of the man went to every highway patrolman in North Carolina, patrol Lt. David McCoy said, as well as to the state patrols in Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina. Experts say to get all of those departments focused on one man is difficult. “It’s a nightmare, I can tell you,” said Bill Hyatt, a former U.S. prosecutor, who worked in the witness protection program, and taught criminology at Western Carolina University. A small agency still has its usual assignments and patrols that don’t go away during a manhunt, Hyatt said. The best bet in the investigation is to narrow the suspect’s trail, Hyatt said. “Everybody’s got places he’s got to go to,” he said. “Does he have family or friends in the area. Is he headed to Atlanta or Charlotte or Knoxville, trying to lose himself in a bigger city?” Investigators will likely monitor his bank account for any withdrawals or follow any trail of his credit cards being used, Hyatt said. In the end, “it’s not easy to evade a manhunt,” he said. “It’s hard not to contact your friends. In the witness protection program, we always had problems with people who wanted to call home when the point was to disappear http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060921/NEWS01/60921019/1119

We still have far to go in curbing domestic violence
We still have far to go in curbing domestic violence September 24, 2006 We come to the shooting death of Bonnie Woodring with great sadness, many questions and few answers. In dealing with the trauma of such an event, the challenge is to retrace the steps to help prevent another such occurrence. The problem is that in domestic abuse situations, each case is unique and may not yield a solution that applies to “the next time.’’ The hard reality is that by all appearances, Bonnie Woodring did many things right, as did those who tried to shelter her and as did the authorities who attempted to help her. When her relationship took an abusive turn, she got a restraining order on John Woodring. When that order was defied, she took the next step in seeking shelter at REACH of Jackson County. REACH, in turn, followed many security procedures. Close isn’t good enough But the fact that we are discussing a death today proves that close isn’t good enough in domestic abuse cases. The security at the shelter didn’t include a fence to keep potential intruders off the property. A judge denied Bonnie Woodring’s initial attempt at a restraining order. And despite efforts of law enforcement to apprehend John Woodring, including seizure of his truck and car and a foot pursuit of him, there was no peace officer present when John Woodring reportedly pushed past a REACH staffer who was leaving the facility and fatally shot Bonnie Woodring. In the end, we have to remember we are dealing with human beings who are dueling with the most powerful emotions we have: love and hate. Domestic abuse cases deal with many things, not the least of which is the emotional fortitude of the victim. Bonnie Woodring apparently had that fortitude, deciding to end the abuse. Yet her courage ended in tragedy. What’s the next step? As a society, what can be done to prevent “the next time”? Is new legislation called for? North Carolina passed a felony statute on non-fatal strangulation in 2004, making it only one of six states in the nation to do so. The state also has pro-arrest and evidence-based prosecution laws, meaning police can make an arrest without a warrant in certain domestic abuse incidents and that district attorneys can go forward in domestic abuse cases with photographic or other evidence obtained by police. The application of those statutes is a matter of local discretion. It goes without saying that no law is any better than its application, and in how law enforcement officers, attorneys and judges are trained in its possible uses. The tragedy is disturbingly reminiscent of the national dialogue regarding terrorism in the last few years. There are obvious security measures we as a nation need to take. Some of them we’ve taken, some we haven’t. But in our heart of hearts we all know that even if all the recommendations given out by committees and task forces are taken, from tighter port security to tighter border security, there will never be an ironclad security scheme that can stop every determined individual with nothing to lose. Those determined to find a scapegoat in this killing might consider that just such an individual may be in play in this story. Unsung heroes Overall, there are some heroes we shouldn’t forget when discussing domestic abuse. There are groups like the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which serves as a support umbrella for 90 member programs. There’s the N.C. Council for Women and Domestic Violence Commission. There are groups like REACH and Our VOICE and Helpmate. There are events like Take Back the Night. Behind them all, there are individuals willing to stand up and stand between potential victims and those who might do them harm. There is a decency and courage behind these volunteers — most who receive little or no compensation — that is awe-inspiring. The tally is too high And yet, a woman who took the right steps is dead. In the grim arithmetic of domestic abuse, Bonnie Woodring is the 45th domestic violence fatality of 2006 in North Carolina. It is worth noting, however, she is the lone victim of such violence at a battered women’s shelter. Marie Brodie with the Coalition Against Domestic Violence said this incident “points to the need for us to focus on the behavior of abusers and what we can do about abusers. That does not mean that we don’t also have shelters and look at safety measures. “The real issue is understanding abusers and how to stop them.’’ We are making progress on that front. But as the events of last week show, we still have a long way to go. http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200660922061

N.C. pioneered tough domestic abuse laws
N.C. pioneered tough domestic abuse laws Better protection enforcement wanted When the General Assembly passed legislation two years ago establishing a felony charge for domestic violence cases involving strangulation, North Carolina became the third state in the country to have such a law. North Carolina has been at the forefront in enacting laws designed to hold abusers accountable and give battered women more tools for getting out of violent relationships, advocates say. Observers say it’s hard to know whether even tougher laws could have prevented the killing on Monday of Bonnie Woodring inside a Jackson County shelter for victims of domestic violence. Authorities said her husband, John “Woody” Woodring, the subject of a nationwide manhunt, gunned her down. Valerie Collins, executive director of the Asheville domestic violence agency Helpmate, is doubtful he could have been stopped. “There are always going to be a small population of people who, determined to create violence, will create it,” she said. Advocates for victims of domestic violence point out shelters are an invaluable resource for helping women break the cycle of abuse and say victims shouldn’t be deterred from using them. “I don’t want to take away any hope from anybody,” said Sgt. John Guard, who heads the domestic violence prevention unit at the Pitt County Sheriff’s Department and trains other officers across the state in dealing with abuse cases. Law strengthened in 2004 The killing of Bonnie Woodring was the 45th so far this year in North Carolina attributed to domestic violence. There were 69 such cases last year. Pushed by state Rep. Wilma Sherrill, R-Buncombe, the General Assembly in 2004 passed a comprehensive bill dealing with domestic violence. “North Carolina has been recognized nationally as one of the leaders in the country in passing legislation addressing domestic violence,” said Beth Froehling, public policy director for the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “We have made so much progress. We have some very strong laws in North Carolina.” Besides creating the new felony crime for strangulation that causes injury, the 2004 legislation: • Enacted a habitual misdemeanor assault statute. Under the law, if a person has been convicted of assault two times in 15 years, and a third case results in injury, the perpetrator can be charged with a felony. • Required training in domestic violence for law enforcement, judges and court personnel. • Increased funding for domestic violence programs and legal representation for victims. • Required the state Department of Public Instruction to study the issue of anti-violence programs in schools. • Prohibited employers from discriminating against employees who must take time off to appear in court when seeking protective orders. • Expanded the circumstances under which a judge can grant temporary child custody as part of a domestic violence protective order. • Required convicted offenders to undergo treatment. ‘Violence … is wrong’ N.C. law enforcement officers are allowed to pursue charges against domestic violence offenders even when their victims don’t want to, and that’s where training comes in, Froehling said. “There has been a lot of emphasis on not putting the pressure on women but on law enforcement and prosecutors,” she said. “There are a lot of ways to prosecute abusers without relying on the testimony of the victim.” Guard, who trains thousands of officers a year through a grant from the Family Violence Prevention Program, said he supports such “pro-arrest” policies. “We say pro-arrest is what we believe in,” he said. “The bottom line is violence in the home is wrong.” Froehling said her organization would like to see enforcement of domestic violence protective orders strengthened. Under the law, someone with three prior convictions for violating protective orders would be guilty of a felony for violating a fourth. A proposal in the Legislature last year would have reduced that to one prior conviction, but the measure failed. “Four is just too many,” she said. Sherrill said she’s seen a lot of progress since her days in the 1970s working as a domestic violence volunteer. “For years, people were in denial,” said Sherrill, who is retiring as a legislator at the end of the year. “We’re still working on ways to help eradicate this epidemic that exists in our state. That’s something I’ll continue to work on for a long time.” Contact Clarke Morrison at 828-232-5849 or via e-mail at cmorriso@ashevill.gannett.com

Woodring funeral scheduled for Monday
Woodring funeral scheduled for Monday published September 24, A week after Bonnie Woodring was gunned down in a Sylva domestic violence shelter, her family will say their last goodbyes at her burial at a Houston, Texas, cemetery on Monday. Police say John “Woody” Woodring gunned down Bonnie Woodring, 48, last Monday after he burst into the shelter where she sought refuge. He is now the subject of a nationwide manhunt. Visitation and viewing will be held this evening at Settergast-Kopf Funeral Home in Houston followed by a 2 p.m. Monday burial at Woodlands Forest North Cemetery, according to a familiy spokesman. She is survived by her mother, Sharon Wilson, four daughters and a son, and two granddaughters. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the family for funeral expenses by sending them to: Stojanik Family, Bank of America, 3811 Washington Ave., Houston, TX 77007. For more on this story, check CITIZEN-TIMES.COM or Monday's Asheville Citizen-Times. http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200660924006

Missing car found in Knoxville KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Knoxville police say they've found a car sought by North Carolina authorities in a killing at a women's shelter in Sylva. Police spokesman Daryll DeBusk says the stolen 2006 Honda Civic was found last night near the Greyhound bus station downtown. Lieutenant Jerry Clift says there were indications it had been there for several days. Clift says the Knoxville department secured the car for North Carolina authorities and didn't open it. Police are looking for John Raymond Woodring, who they accuse of going to the battered women's shelter where his wife, Bonnie Woodring, and her 13-year-old son from a previous marriage were staying. A shelter worker says John Woodring pushed past her and shot his wife in the kitchen with a shotgun. Clift says John Woodring has no known connections to Knoxville. http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=5460328

Authorities: Man wanted for NC shelter killing likely killed self Nov 1, 2006 : 6:46 pm ET ROBBINSVILLE, N.C. -- A body found Wednesday on a house boat in Graham County likely is that of a man wanted for pushing his way into a domestic violence shelter and fatally shooting his wife, authorities said. John Raymond "Woody" Woodring had been hiding from police since the Sept. 18 murder of Bonnie Woodring in Sylva, about 50 miles southwest of Asheville. A body believed to be Woody Woodring's was found Wednesday in Graham County in far western North Carolina, Sheriff Bob DeBruhl said in a news release. The sheriff's office declined to confirm the identity of the body found on a house boat on Lake Fontana before autopsy results were available. But District Attorney Michael Bonfoey told the Asheville Citizen-Times that Woody Woodring's body had been found. And the family of Bonnie Woodring told the newspaper that law enforcement officials told them Woody Woodring shot himself in the head with a stolen handgun. "You always wonder if he's going to show up, but this is the best news," said Bonnie Woodring's daughter, Christina Stojanik. "Oh my God, we've been waiting for this day." Woodring was charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife at the shelter where she and her son were staying to escape him. Woodring was already wanted on domestic violence charges after being accused of violating a protective order and trying to strangle his wife at her home Sept. 14. Police have said Woody Woodring fled in a stolen car after the shooting. Local authorities enlisted the help of law enforcement agencies across the country to find Woodring. http://www.heraldsun.com/state/6-783976.html

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