Te Asheville


BY Clint Parker


Leader Leicester May 4 - May 10, 2017 – The courtroom


was quiet as family members of Leicester residents Christie Schoen and J.T. Codd entered the Bu nc omb e County Su-


editor @weavervilletribune.com


perior Courtroom where Robert Jason Owen, also a Leicester resident, was already seated with his attorneys. Video recording of the court


proceeding had been ceased be- fore family members entered the room according to Superior Court Judge Mark Powell’s in- structions. Members of the family, public


and media were there in the room with Owens on Thursday morn- ing (April 27) to hear Owens plead to the murders of Schoen, Codd and their unborn child, Skylar. Others were hoping that Owens would also either plead to or shed light on the long-term unsolved disappearance of Zeb Quinn. Owens, after a lengthy read-


ing and questioning by Judge Powell, pled to second degree murder of the three victims and to two counts of dismemberment. Owens was sentenced to a prison


term of between 59 ½ as the mini- mum to 74 ½ years as a maximum in the custody of the NC Division of Adult Corrections. Owens claimed that he acci-


dentally ran over Schoen, who was pregnant with Skylar, and Codd as they were trying to help him get his truck “unstuck.” “I’m not a bad guy,” Owens reported- ly told Buncombe County Sher- iff’s investigators while being questioned about the murders, “I didn’t mean to hurt them, they were my friends.” “Because there are no surviv-


ing witnesses and Jason Owens had exclusive control of the crime scene for several days, and he had nearly completed the gruesome project of cremating his victims’ remains, we will never know many of


the facts surrounding


the Codds’ deaths,” said Bun- combe County District Attorney Todd Williams in a statement re- leased after the plea. “What we do know is that


through both a solid investiga- tion and a competent interroga- tion by law enforcement, Owens confessed to being responsible for killing the Codds and further admitted to dismembering and burning their physical remains in


his wood stove. This truly hor- rific crime presented many chal- lenges, but, in the end, the vic- tims’ families fully support this resolution in that it holds Jason Owens accountable for precisely what he admitted doing,” said Williams. Williams went


on to say,


“These pleas, signed, sworn and entered in court today, deliver a punishment that is tantamount to a sentence of death in prison for Jason Owens. These pleas shut the door on Owens’ attempts to deny responsibility for these crimes, will lock him away from society, and prevent the endless cycle of appeal and the emotional toll that would take on the vic- tims’ families. Through this plea, these cases are resolved and the State need not forever retain the victims’ remains in case of some possible future court hearing. Their ashes may be soon released to their families as they should be. I have met and discussed to- day’s plea with the victims’ loved ones on several occasions; all this is done in keeping with their wishes.” Nothing was mentioned about


the Quinn disappearance in the court proceedings.


Erwin’s Principal Jim Brown retiring EHS – Thursday morning


(April 27) Erwin Principal Jim Brown met with his staff in the me- dia center at the school and told them that he


BY Clint Parker


editor @weavervilletribune.com


would be retiring after the end of the school year and before the beginning of next year. Brown told his staff that they


were helping to produce “giv- ers and not takers for our soci- ety.” The students they helped educate would leave the school to “...have jobs, pay taxes, be law abiding citizens, get mar- ried, have family and be part of building this community and making this community a better place to be.” He then thanked them and said it had been his pleasure to work with them. Brown has been associated


a long time with Buncombe County Schools if you count from his first day of the first grade at Oakley Elementary until now. A total of 54 years on and off either as a student, a teacher or part of the admin- istration. He has served as principal of


Erwin for the last eight years, he has a total of 25 years with the North Carolina School System with 23 of the 25 being with Buncombe. He had a short


two-year period where he was at Madison County Schools as principal of Madison Middle School. Asked what led to his retire-


ment, Brown said, “Well, I’ve had a lot of changes in my per- sonal life. I lost a spouse four years ago to cancer. It kind of reset and reestablished what my


life’s priorities are. The


fact that we’re all mortal and we only have so much time to be able to do what we want to do and the situation is where I’m now eligible for retirement from the state and there are some other things I want to ac- complish both in my personal life and some other projects, volunteer projects.” Brown listed several of


those, which include historical and family genealogical activi- ties. He said he’d like to travel, volunteer with his church and with the cancer center. “They [the cancer center] were so helpful for me and my late wife as we went though that pro- cess.” He also looks forward to slowing down and getting some rest. “I will not be sitting on the


front porch in a rocking chair,” said Brown. “I will be active.” Asked about what he’d miss


most about his job Brown said, “I’ll miss the people. It’s the life blood of the job, the teachers


10 THE TRIBUNE/LEADER - May 4 - May 10, 2017


WEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Vol. 10 • No. 18 55¢


West Buncombe


Alexander Newfound Erwin Hills


Leicester Woodfin


Owens pleads to triple murders


Robert Jason Owens being lead into court.


Tools stolen from truck


Georgetown – A car was bro-


ken into and tools stolen, accord- ing to reports Monday (May 1). The incident occurred at a truck parked at a home on Dix Creek


BY James Matthews


#1 Road in Georgetown. According to a Buncombe


Erwin High Principal Jim Brown address his staff at an early morning meeting about his retirement from his job.


and the students.” He added, “I’ll always be red


(speaking of the school colors) and I wish them the best here in their future endeavors. I’ll be in the community and I’ll still from time to time pop up and attend ball games and school functions. It’s been a great run and a great eight-year experi- ence. I could not sign off on this interview without giving credit to my superintendent, Dr. Baldwin. All I can do is sing the praises of his leader- ship and support.”


County Sheriff’s Office report, the incident likely occurred sometime between 1 pm Satur- day (April 29) and 8 am Monday (May 1). The vehicle, according to the report, belongs to Jason Troy Jenkins, 44. The vehicle,


911 BURGERS


AND MORE 11-7 Mon.-Fri 11-3 Sat.


202 Stone Ridge Blvd. Woodfin


828-484-9474 www.911burgers.com


www.weavervilletribune.com


which is described as a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado, was not forcibly entered. The report lists items stolen


as including several nail guns, a cordless drill, an impact driver, tool belt and bags, several saws and other assorted tools. A total of $1,574 was listed as stolen in the break-in. The sheriff’s office is currently


investigating the incident. If anyone has any information


about this incident or any other incidents in the area, please con- tact Buncombe County Crime Stoppers at 828.255.5050.


Dickie’s


Stone Ridge Blvd.


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