Chief Willie Armstrong
On Monday, the Town Bord and Chief Willie Armstrong met.
Armstrong, 26, of Hickory, is charged with felony altering, destroying or stealing criminal evidence and misdemeanor willfully failing to discharge duties. A Catawba County grand jury returned the indictments on May 5, according to court documents. Armstrong was immediately placed on administrative leave per town policy.
The charges are linked to an interview Armstrong conducted while investigating the 1992 rape and death of 13-year-old Isis Denise “Dee Dee” Dawkins. Dee Dee was found dead in the Henry Fork River on July 28, 1992. A N.C. State Bureau of Investigation search warrants accuse Armstrong of intentionally leaving a phone at a man’s house to record a person of interest in Dee Dee’s case. Armstrong maintains his innocence in the accused crimes.
After the Council emerged from a closed door session, the announcement was made to a cheering gathering that Armstrong had been reinstated.
Armstrong announced he would be running for sheriff of Catawba County in 2026 at the end of February and has said he believes the investigation is political and he is grateful to the town for standing behind him. “I think that over time, that things will explain themselves,” Armstrong said. “I’m innocent of any charges. I’ve done nothing wrong, and I think that the court system will show that I intend to continue to represent Brookford with the utmost professionalism and integrity, like I always have. I will continue to provide excellent service to the citizens of Brookford.”
What is Armstrong accused of?
The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation searched Armstrong’s phone and the Brookford Police Department on Jan. 27. The search warrant said investigators were looking for documents and a recording of the interview.
The search warrant said Armstrong, along with Brookford Police Maj. B.R. Ollis, went to the home of a convicted felon, 81-year-old William Powell Crooks, on Oct. 6, 2024, to interview Crooks as part of their investigation into Dee Dee’s death.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office reported the incident to the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation in November, according to the search warrant.
The search warrant said investigators interviewed Armstrong prior to the search. The search warrant accuses Armstrong of giving the investigators an altered copy of the recording. The Jan. 27 search was to find the original version.
Due to the pending charges, District Attorney Scott Reilly has requested the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation take over the investigation into Dee Dee’s death.
Armstrong could face up to two years in prison for the felony charge and 120 days for the misdemeanor, if convicted.
This report appeared in the Hickory Daily Record hickoryrecord.com