State v. Gallion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF NORTH CAROLINA

2022-NCCOA-164

No. COA21-375

Filed 15 March 2022

Buncombe County, Nos. 17 CRS 83204, 17 CRS 83209, 17 CRS 83792

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,

v.

TIMOTHY ROBERT GALLION.

Appeal by defendant from judgment entered 11 February 2020 by Judge Carla

Archie in Buncombe County Superior Court. Heard in the Court of Appeals 14

December 2021.

Attorney General Joshua H. Stein, by Special Deputy Attorney General Robert

C. Montgomery and Special Deputy Attorney General Daniel P. O’Brien, for the

State.

William D. Spence for Defendant-Appellant.

CARPENTER, Judge.

¶1 Defendant appeals from judgment after a jury convicted him of first degree

murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and driving while impaired. After careful

review of the record, we find no error.

I. Factual & Procedural Background

¶2 The State’s evidence presented at trial tends to show the following: Defendant’s

wife, Ms. Gallion, testified that on 22 March 2017, Defendant made the following

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statement to her: “I’m going to kill your mother, I’m going to kill your sister, and I’m

going to kill everybody that knows you, and then I’ll kill you.” Ms. Gallion further

testified that on the same day Defendant communicated the threats, she took out a

warrant for his arrest.

¶3 At around 3:46 p.m. that day, officers of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s

Department were dispatched to Defendant’s home to arrest him. The officers

attempted to contact Defendant or Ms. Gallion but could locate neither of them on

the property. They observed through the window of a workshop on Defendant’s

property “a handful of bullets on a shelf.”

¶4 Sergeant Nathan Ball (“Sergeant Ball”) of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s

Office oversaw the department’s Community Enforcement Team, which handles

community complaints including warrant services. He testified his team responded

to the call to Defendant’s home. Upon Sergeant Ball learning from his team

Defendant was not at the residence, he went to the nearby intersection of Wittemore

Branch Road and Barnardsville Highway, where Defendant might cross if he were to

return home. As he was talking with his colleague Captain Elkins regarding the

matter, they heard a dispatch for the fire department regarding a structure fire on

Dillingham Road.

¶5 Sergeant Ball headed to the area of the fire, as he knew Defendant “had a

previous address on Dillingham Road.” On his way there, Sergeant Ball saw someone

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getting into a green Dodge pickup truck, matching the description of Defendant’s

vehicle, parked beside Sheena’s Restaurant. Sergeant Ball dispatched other

members of his team to the location. The officers left Defendant’s home, heading in

the direction of the restaurant. Sergeant Ball knew Defendant was a convicted felon.

¶6 At around the same time that afternoon, Defendant went to the property of

Tommy Carson (“Carson”), the uncle of Defendant’s former wife, at 397 Dillingham

Road where Carson’s house is located and where Carson used to operate a grocery

store. Carson testified Defendant approached and first asked him for beer or wine,

but when Carson did not have these items, Defendant asked to borrow ten dollars.

After Carson responded he did not have any money either, Defendant showed him his

“bulletproof” jacket with a Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team patch

affixed to an arm and a “9 millimeter Uzi” firearm.

¶7 Carson advised he was heading out but could pick up money for Defendant at

the bank if Defendant wanted to follow him there. Defendant declined the offer

telling Carson, “he had to go up the road to take care of some business.” Carson

witnessed Defendant get in his truck and go up the road. Carson drove away with

Brooke Blagg (“Blagg”) who lived on his property. Defendant ultimately left Carson’s

property shortly after Carson at 4:24 p.m. At 4:31 p.m. a call came into the fire

department regarding a fire in Carson’s building. Defendant stated in an interview

with investigators on 23 March 2017 that he headed over to Sheena’s Restaurant

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after leaving Carson’s house. According to Defendant, he asked the owner of the

restaurant for twenty dollars, then went home. He also admitted to drinking six

beers and “maybe four” Johny Bootlegger spirited beverages on 22 March 2017.

¶8 Blagg saw Defendant on Carson’s property on 22 March 2017 and testified she

and Carson “left the store and [Defendant] went up to the church and turned around

and came back down” to Carson’s property. She confirmed she saw Defendant leave

the store and drive towards the house of Bobby Pegg (“Pegg’”), the victim. She added,

“because right past the church [on Dillingham Road] is where [Defendant] had lived

at with [Pegg].” “The church . . . it’s going in the direction” of Pegg’s house.

¶9 Officers located Defendant traveling on Barnardsville Highway and followed

him after he turned on Wittemore Branch Road. Defendant did not stop his vehicle

when two police cars pursued him with blue lights and sirens activated.

¶ 10 Officers eventually stopped Defendant via a roadblock. They approached his

vehicle with guns drawn and removed Defendant from the vehicle after he refused to

show his hands. In Defendant’s vehicle, officers found two firearms in plain view.

The officers also observed “blood on the steering wheel, on a door, [and on] the driver’s

seat.” Officers arrested Defendant at approximately 4:43 p.m. and took inventory of

his truck. They recovered firearms including a Ruger 9-millimeter “shotgun” and a

Cobray 9-millimeter pistol as well as three 9-millimeter magazines, one 9-millimeter

flash suppressor, and 9-millimeter ammunition. The 9-millimeter ammunition

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included “silver-colored casings with the headstamp of FC LUGER 9 MM.” Officers

performed a pat down of Defendant and located a GPS monitoring device on his left

ankle. They also “noticed a strong odor of alcohol” coming from Defendant’s person.

Defendant was transported to a detention center where he refused to perform an

alcohol breath test; his blood was drawn for analysis pursuant to a search warrant.

¶ 11 Deputy Leslie Meade (“Deputy Meade”) of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s

Department performed standardized field sobriety tests on Defendant. Deputy

Meade testified Defendant showed six of six clues on the horizontal gaze nystagmus

(“HGN”) test, and seven of eight clues on the walk and turn test. Defendant refused

to complete the one-legged stand test.

¶ 12 At approximately 2:00 p.m. the following day—23 March 2017—Pegg’s niece,

Summer Riddle (“Riddle”) and his mother, Jeanette Pegg, arrived at Pegg’s house on

665 Dillingham Road to check on him after they had not heard from him since 21

March 2017. Defendant’s brother owned the house where Pegg lived, and Defendant

had performed carpentry work and repairs on the house.

¶ 13 Pegg was last seen alive on 22 March 2017 at about 1:00 p.m. by his neighbor

who witnessed Pegg standing in his driveway. Riddle and Jeanette Pegg found Pegg’s

deceased body sitting on the couch in the living room. Riddle testified the kitchen

door was unlocked when she arrived at the house, and it was normal for Pegg to leave

the house unlocked when he was home. Riddle and Jeanette Pegg called 911 within

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minutes of arriving on the scene. Law enforcement responded to the 911 call and

initiated a homicide investigation. Officers found silver-colored shell casings with

the headstamp “FC LUGER 9 MM,” matching the description of the bullets found in

Defendant’s vehicle, around Pegg’s body.

¶ 14 An autopsy revealed Pegg died from gunshot wounds to his head, although an

exact date or time of death could not be determined from the examination. The

autopsy report shows Pegg had three gunshot wounds to his head. Two of the wounds

had “soot and stippling” around them, indicating the muzzle of the gun was close to

Pegg when fired. The third wound did not have soot or stippling, indicating the gun

was fired at an “indeterminate range” from the deceased.

¶ 15 On 29 January 2020, Defendant filed a pretrial motion to suppress any

evidence seized during the search of his home address on the basis the search warrant

affidavit “fails to implicate the premises,” as required by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-244,

the North Carolina Constitution, and the United States Constitution. Defendant also

moved to suppress evidence of GPS data on the grounds his statutory rights were

violated when privileged information, namely GPS data of his movements, was orally

provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (‘DPS”) to law

enforcement before a court order was issued. On 3 February 2020, the trial court

heard Defendant’s motion to suppress and orally announced its findings of facts and

conclusions of law in open court. The trial court concluded there had been no

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substantial violation of Chapter 15A that warranted suppression and denied

Defendant’s motion.

¶ 16 A jury trial began on 3 February 2020 before the Honorable Carla Archie in

Buncombe County Superior Court. Defendant admitted to having been previously

convicted of three charges of driving while impaired, resulting in a conviction of

habitual driving while impaired.

¶ 17 At trial, Alyssa Tinnin (“Tinnin”) was tendered by the State as an expert in the

field of forensic toxicology. Tinnin testified she conducted a chemical analysis on the

blood sample identified as that taken from Defendant. Tinnin opined Defendant’s

blood sample contained 0.17 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters.

¶ 18 Elizabeth Wilson (“Wilson”), is a firearms examiner who, at the time of the

hearing, was employed by the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory. Wilson was

tendered as an expert in the area of firearms identification and examination. Wilson

testified that she performs all tests on firearms based on reliable facts and data. She

examined the Cobray 9-millimeter and Ruger 9-millimeter firearms seized from

Defendant’s vehicle. Wilson also did comparison examinations of the shell casings,

bullets, and projectiles that were collected from the homicide crime scene. Based on

the results of her examination, Wilson concluded that seven shell casings found

around Pegg’s’ body, the “caliber .38 class fired copper jacket” fragment that was

imbedded in wood at Pegg’s home, the “caliber .38 class fired copper jacket” collected

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from Pegg’s temple, and the “caliber .38 class fired jacketed bullet” collected from

Pegg’s jaw were all fired from the same Cobray 9-millimer pistol seized from

Defendant.

¶ 19 On 27 March 2017 at approximately 1:58 p.m., Sergeant Ryan Jordan

(“Sergeant Jordan”) of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department obtained a search

warrant for Defendant’s GPS monitoring data obtained from Defendant’s previously

mandated post-release electronic monitoring device. The search warrant was

executed at 2:13 p.m. that afternoon. Sergeant Jordan testified he obtained the

information sought in the search warrant from Joan McCurry (“McCurry”), the Chief

Probation and Parole Officer for DPS, approximately three days after he executed the

search warrant.

¶ 20 At trial, McCurry testified regarding the GPS communication device

Defendant was wearing and the business records created from such a device.

McCurry testified at the suppression hearing she verbally provided Defendant’s GPS

data pinpoints for the date of 22 March 2017 to Captain Elkins and Sergeant Jordan

upon their request and before a search warrant was issued.

¶ 21 Michelle Wilson, an account manager for BI Incorporated, also testified. BI

Incorporated contracted with the Department of Public Safety of the State of North

Carolina to provide an electronic curfew monitoring service that the State uses for its

adult probation and parole section. Michelle Wilson explained that due to

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atmospheric conditions, GPS points could drift but depending on how many satellites

are tracking at a given time, the GPS data is generally accurate within a range of 25

to 100 feet. She testified the GPS data for Defendant showed Defendant was at the

address of 665 Dillingham Road, Pegg’s home, at 4:07 p.m. on 22 March 2017. The

State also offered evidence through Michelle Wilson tending to show Defendant was

at Pegg’s home between the hours of 3:00 p.m. to 4:22 p.m. on 22 March 2017.

¶ 22 A search warrant for Defendant’s home was issued on 27 March 2017 at

approximately 7:59 p.m. and was executed that evening at 8:29 p.m. Officers seized

9-millimeter ammunition with the headstamp “FC LUGER 9 MM” from inside

Defendant’s workshop and seized ammunition, handwritten notes, and numerous

firearms from Defendant’s home.

¶ 23 On 22 March 2017, Defendant was charged with driving while impaired,

driving while license revoked for impaired driving, possession of a firearm by a felon,

second degree arson, and first degree murder. On 7 August 2017, a Buncombe County

grand jury indicted Defendant on the charges of driving while licensed revoked, in

violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28(a1); habitual impaired driving, in violation of N.C.

Gen. Stat. § 20-138.5; possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat.

§ 14.415.1; second degree arson, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-58; and first

degree murder, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-17.

¶ 24 At the close of the State’s evidence, Defendant moved to dismiss the charges of

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second degree arson and first degree murder based on insufficiency of evidence. The

trial court denied his motion. Defendant renewed his motion to dismiss at the close

of all evidence, which was also denied. On 11 February 2020, the State dismissed the

charge of driving while licensed revoked. On the same day, the jury found Defendant

guilty of driving while impaired, possession of a firearm by a felon, and first degree

murder; the jury found Defendant not guilty of second degree murder. Defendant

gave oral notice of appeal in open court.

II. Jurisdiction

¶ 25 This Court has jurisdiction to address Defendant’s appeal from a final

judgment pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-27(b)(1) (2021) and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-

1444(a) (2021).

III. Issues

¶ 26 The issues before this Court are whether: (1) probable cause existed for the

magistrate to issue the search warrant for Defendant’s residence; (2) the findings of

fact are supported by competent evidence and whether the findings of fact in turn

support the conclusions of law in the trial court’s ruling on Defendant’s motion to

suppress evidence seized from his residence; (3) the trial court committed plain error

in refusing to suppress electronic monitoring data where the Secretary of DPS

allowed Defendant’s GPS data to be orally released before a search warrant was

issued; (4) the trial court erred by refusing to allow Defendant to cross-examine a

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witness about a Facebook message; (5) the trial court committed plain error by

admitting testimony on firearms identification and examination from the State’s

expert witness; and (6) the trial court erred by denying Defendant’s motion to dismiss

the first degree murder charge.

IV. Motion to Suppress Evidence Obtained from Defendant’s Residence

¶ 27 In his first argument, Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the search

warrant application for his residence as well as the trial court’s denial of his motion

to suppress all evidence seized through a search warrant of this address.

A. Sufficiency of the Search Warrant Application

¶ 28 We first consider Defendant’s argument that the search warrant affidavit is

defective because it fails to implicate his home address and does not provide a basis

to support probable cause.

¶ 29 The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, made

applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment, protects “[t]he right of

the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against

unreasonable searches and seizures . . . .” U.S. Const. amends. IV, XIV. Under the

Fourth Amendment, a search warrant may be issued only “upon probable cause,

supported by [o]ath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be

searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” U.S. Const. amend. IV.

¶ 30 “Article I, Section 20 of the Constitution of North Carolina likewise prohibits

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unreasonable searches and seizures and requires that warrants be issued only on

probable cause,” although the language of the North Carolina Constitution differs

from that of the United States Constitution. State v. Allman, 369 N.C. 292, 293, 794

S.E.2d 301, 302–03 (2016); see N.C. Const. art. I, § 20; see also N.C Gen. Stat. § 15A-

245 (2021).

¶ 31 The North Carolina Supreme Court adopted the “totality of the circumstances

test to determine whether probable cause exists under Article I, Section 20” of the

North Carolina Constitution. Allman, 369 N.C. at 293, 794 S.E.2d at 303. “Our case

law makes clear that when an officer seeks a warrant to search a residence, the facts

set out in the supporting affidavit must show some connection or nexus linking the

residence to illegal activity. Such a connection need not be direct, but it cannot be

purely conclusory.” State v. Bailey, 374 N.C. 332, 335, 841 S.E.2d 277, 280 (2020).

¶ 32 Under North Carolina law, an application for a search warrant must meet

certain requirements, including that it “be made in writing upon oath or affirmation.”

See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-244 (2021). Additionally, each application must contain:

(1) The name and title of the applicant; and

(2) A statement that there is probable cause to believe

that items subject to seizure under [N.C. Gen. Stat.

§] 15A-242 may be found in or upon a designated or

described place, vehicle, or person; and

(3) Allegations of fact supporting the statement. The

statements must be supported by one or more

affidavits particularly setting forth the facts and

circumstances establishing probable cause to believe

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that the items are in the places or in the possession

of the individuals to be searched; and

(4) A request that the court issue a search warrant

directing a search for and the seizure of the items in

question.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-244(1)–(4).

¶ 33 A search warrant “affidavit is sufficient if it supplies reasonable cause to

believe that the proposed search for evidence of the commission of the designated

criminal offense will reveal the presence upon the described premises of the objects

sought and that they will aid in the apprehension or conviction of the offender.” State

v. Vestal, 278 N.C. 561, 575–76, 180 S.E.2d 755, 765 (1971) (citations omitted); see

also N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-244. “A magistrate must make a practical, common-sense

decision, based on the totality of the circumstances, whether there is a fair probability

that contraband will be found in the place to be searched.” State v. McKinney, 368

N.C. 161, 164, 775 S.E.2d 821, 824 (2015) (citations and internal quotation marks

omitted). Additionally, “a magistrate is entitled to draw reasonable inferences from

the material supplied to him by an applicant for a warrant.” State v. Sinapi, 359 N.C.

394, 399, 610 S.E.2d 362, 365 (2005).

¶ 34 It is well-established that “great deference should be paid a magistrate’s

determination of probable cause and . . . after-the-fact scrutiny should not take the

form of a de novo review.” State v. Lewis, 372 N.C. 576, 584, 831 S.E.2d 37, 43 (2019)

(citation omitted). “Instead, a reviewing court is responsible for ensuring that the

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issuing magistrate had a substantial basis for . . . conclud[ing] that probable cause

existed.” McKinney, 368 N.C. at 165, 775 S.E.2d at 825 (citations and internal

quotation marks omitted).

¶ 35 Here, Sergeant Jordan included with his application for a search warrant an

affidavit stating his name and title, as well as the following statement regarding

probable cause:

Based on my training and experience, and the facts as set

forth in this affidavit, I believe that in records in and

around the residence, outbuildings, and curtilage of

[Defendant’s residence] in Barnardsville, NC there exists

evidence of a crime and contraband or fruits of that crime.

¶ 36 After reciting his training and experience in the affidavit, Sergeant Jordan

made the following allegations of fact to support his statement of probable cause:

(1) On 3-23-2017, the Buncombe County Emergency

Operations Center received a call on 911 stating that

an individual had been discovered with an apparent

gunshot [wound] at 665 Dillingham Rd,

Barnardsville, NC. First Responders arrived on

scene and located Bobby Ray Pegg II deceased in his

home. Detectives with the Buncombe County

Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) responded to the residence

and began conducting an investigation.

(2) During the investigation, detectives located several

silver colored spent 9mm shell casings in the area

around Pegg’s body. All the silver colored spent

9mm shell casings were head stamped with “F C

LUGER 9MM.”

(3) Detectives discovered the last time Pegg had been

seen alive, was on 3-22-2017 at approximately 12:30

p.m.

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(4) On 3-22-2017 it was reported to the BCSO that

throughout the day, Timothy Robert Gallion had

been making threats to his family stating that he

would kill them, kill any law enforcement that

attempted to apprehend him, and then kill himself.

An arrest warrant was obtained by family members

for Communicating Threats.

(5) Deputies traveled to Gallion’s residence . . . on 03-

22-17 to search for Gallion. While there, deputies

went to a workshop just down the driveway from the

residence. A deputy looked into the window to see if

Gallion was in the workshop and observed a handful

of bullets on a shelf.

(6) Gallion was located on Whittemore Branch Rd in

Barnardsville, NC, driving a green 1996 Dodge Ram

Pickup Truck, where he was arrested for his open

warrants. Gallion was located at approximately

4:43 pm on 3-22-2017. Whittemore Branch Rd is in

close proximity to 665 Dillingham Rd.

(7) During the arrest, multiple firearms were seen in

plain view in the 1996 Dodge Ram Pickup Truck.

Two (2) of the firearms located in the pickup truck

were 9mm pistols. Also located inside the truck,

were multiple boxes of ammunition. All 9mm

ammunition had silver colored shell casings with the

head stamp of “F C LUGER 9MM.” This

ammunition is similar to the spent shell casings

located in the proximity of Pegg’s body.

(8) During the arrest, the arresting officers observed

that Gallion was intoxicated. Gallion was

subsequently charged with Driving While Impaired.

(9) During the inventory of the 1996 Dodge Ram

Pickup, officers observed blood smears inside the

vehicle on the steering wheel, driver’s seat, and

interior portion of the driver’s side door. Gallion also

had blood on his hands.

(10) Detectives interviewed a witness who stated that on

3-22-2017, he spoke with Gallion at 456 Dillingham

Rd. When asked about Adrian Gallion, Timothy

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Gallion’s brother, Timothy Gallion became upset

and stated that he was angry for not being paid for

work he had done on a home his brother owned. This

residence is the home located at 665 Dillingham Rd,

Barnardsville, NC where Pegg was found deceased

on 3-23-2017.

(11) The witness stated Gallion showed him a pistol

during their conversation. The pistol matched the

description of one of the 9mm pistols found in the

green Dodge Ram Pickup truck when Gallion was

arrested.

(12) The witness stated that later in the conversation,

Gallion pointed at a Buncombe County Sheriff’s

Office patch affixed to his shirt and made the

comment that the patch could get him out of trouble.

At the time of Gallion’s arrest, he was wearing

clothing with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office

patch affixed to it.

(13) The witness described Gallion as being intoxicated

at the time of their conversation.

(14) Detectives spoke with a separate witness who stated

they observed Gallion driving in the direction of 665

Dillingham Rd. The time was estimated to be at

approximately 3:30 pm.

(15) The affiant knows that Gallion was charged in an

incident in 2012 involving the discharge of a firearm

at another person, which resulted in a conviction.

¶ 37 Sergeant Jordan included in his description of items to be seized, inter alia,

bloodstains, DNA evidence, weapons, ammunition, drugs, and drug paraphernalia.

¶ 38 Defendant points to State v. Campbell, 282 N.C. 125, 191 S.E.2d 752 (1972)

and State v. Armstrong, 33 N.C. App. 52, 234 S.E.2d 197 (1977) to argue the trial

court erroneously denied his motion to suppress because Sergeant Jordan’s affidavit

“fail[s] to reveal any underlying facts or circumstances implicating the

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premises/outbuildings at [his residence] to any crime.” Specifically, Defendant

contends “[n]othing connects the [allegation in the affidavit that there were] ‘bullets

on a shelf’” in his workshop, to the bullets found in his truck or the bullet casings

found near the homicide victim. We disagree.

¶ 39 In Campbell, officers sought a warrant to search the residence of suspected

drug dealers for illegal drugs, but the search warrant did not state any underlying

facts about the residence other than the suspects lived in the house. 282 N.C. at 130,

191 S.E.2d at 756. Our Supreme Court held that the search warrant affidavit was

“fatally defective” because it “did not provide a sufficient basis for a finding of

probable cause to search the premises described in the warrant . . . .” Id. at 131–32,

191 S.E.2d at 757. The Court reasoned that “nothing in the . . . affidavit affords a

reasonable basis upon which the issuing magistrate could conclude that any illegal

possession or sale of narcotic drugs had occurred, or was occurring, on the premises

to be searched. Id. at 131, 191 S.E.2d at 757.

¶ 40 Similarly, in Armstrong, an officer received a warrant to search the residence

of a suspect who was alleged to have participated in illegal sales of marijuana. 33

N.C. App. at 55, 234 S.E.2d at 198. Our Court concluded that there was “no allegation

[in the search warrant affidavit] that any marijuana was ever seen, kept, sold, or

delivered” at the defendant’s residence. Id. at 55, 234 S.E.2d at 199.

¶ 41 Here, there is no direct evidence linking the “handful of bullets on a shelf” seen

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in Defendant’s workshop to the charge of first degree murder. See Bailey, 374 N.C.

at 335, 841 S.E.2d 277 at 280. However, other facts alleged in the affidavit show

“some connection or nexus” to link Defendant’s residence to the murder. See id. at

335, 841 S.E.2d 277 at 280 (emphasis added). The allegations include: (1) Defendant

was arrested and found with two 9-millimeter firearms in his truck; (2) the

ammunition found in Defendant’s truck, following his arrest, was consistent with the

shell casings found around the murder victim’s body; (3) there were blood smears

inside of Defendant’s truck and on his hands when he was arrested; (4) Defendant

was arrested near the scene of the crime; (5) Defendant made statements to a witness

on the day he was arrested which implied he had motive to kill the victim, and

Defendant showed the witness a pistol during the conversation; and (6) the pistol

Defendant showed the witness matched the description of the firearm found in

Defendant’s truck.

¶ 42 We conclude the allegations in Sergeant Jordan’s affidavit were sufficient to

allow a magistrate to reasonably infer that evidence related to the murder such as

weapons, ammunition, bloodstains, and DNA evidence could likely be found at

Defendant’s residence and would aid in the apprehension or conviction of the

offender. See Vestal, 278 N.C. at 575–76, 180 S.E.2d at 765; Sinapi, 359 N.C. at 399,

610 S.E.2d at 365; see also State v. Rook, 304 N.C. 201, 221–22, 283 S.E.2d 732, 745

(1981) (holding an affidavit clearly established probable cause to believe that a

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wooden club and bloody clothing constituted evidence of the crime being investigated,

and that the items were probably located in the defendant’s home even though there

was no direct evidence linking the crime to the home). Given the totality of the

circumstances, “the issuing magistrate had a substantial basis for . . . conclud[ing]

that probable cause existed” in this case. See McKinney, 368 N.C. at 165, 775 S.E.2d

at 824–25.

B. The Trial Court’s Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law

¶ 43 Defendant next contends the evidence and record do not support the trial

court’s finding of fact stating:

[b]ased on Officer Jordan’s training and experience and

facts uncovered as part of law enforcement’s investigation,

he articulated as part of both search warrants items that

he was looking for that were relevant to the investigation

and that would aid in the apprehension or conviction of a

suspect, namely the defendant.

Moreover, Defendant contends that the remaining findings do not support the trial

court’s conclusion of law finding sufficient probable cause for the issuance of the

search warrant.

¶ 44 This Court’s review of a trial court’s decision on a motion to suppress “is strictly

limited to determining whether the trial judge’s underlying findings of fact are

supported by competent evidence, in which event they are conclusively binding on

appeal, and whether those factual findings in turn support the judge’s ultimate

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conclusions of law.” State v. Cooke, 306 N.C. 132, 134, 291 S.E.2d 618, 619 (1982).

¶ 45 Following the hearing on Defendant’s motion to suppress, the trial court ruled

on the motion, announcing its findings of fact and conclusions of law in open court.

The trial court made the following findings of fact:

(1) On March the 23rd, 2017, Buncombe County

Emergency Operations Center received a 911 call

stating that an individual had been discovered with

an apparent gunshot [wound] at 665 Dillingham

Road.

(2) First responders arrived on the scene and located

Bobby Pegg deceased in his home. They also located

several silver-colored spent 9 millimeter shell

casings in the area around Pegg’s body.

(3) The shell casing were headstamped with FC LUGER

9 MM.

(4) Officers uncovered that the defendant, Timothy

Gallion, was making threats against his wife and

that she or someone in the family took out warrants

against the defendant for communicating threats.

(5) He was stopped in a green pickup truck on March

the 22nd, 2017, in close proximity to the scene of the

murder.

(6) He was served with the outstanding warrant for

communicating threats. And as part of the search of

the pickup truck, officers located two 9 millimeter

pistols, as well as 9 millimeter ammunition with

silver-colored shell casings and a headstamp of FC

LUGER 9 MM. That ammunition was similar to the

ammunition located near the homicide victim’s body.

(7) Officers also found in the pickup truck blood smears

on the steering wheel, driver’s seat, and interior

portion of the driver’s side door. The defendant also

had blood stains on his hands.

(8) Officers talked to a witness who had a recent

conversation with the defendant. The witness

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stated that later in the conversation [the defendant]

pointed at a Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office patch

affixed to his shirt and said the comment, and made

the comment that the patch could get him out of

trouble. At the time of the defendant’s arrest, he

was wearing clothing with a Buncombe County

Sheriff’s Office patch affixed to it.

(9) On March the 27th, 2017, at 1:58 p.m. Officer Jordan

with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department

obtained a search warrant for GPS monitoring data.

That search warrant was executed at 2:13 p.m. on

the same day.

(10) At 7:59 p.m. Officer Jordan obtained a search

warrant for the defendant’s residence at 95 Christy

Lane. That search warrant was executed at 8:29

p.m. the same day.

(11) Prior to obtaining the search warrant for GPS data,

Detective Elkins contacted Joan McCurry with the

Department of Public Safety Probation and Parole

Office. Detective Elkins asked for GPS location data

of the defendant.

(12) On or about March the 22nd, 2017, Ms. McCurry

provided Detective Elkins verbal information that

the defendant’s location points were clustered

around points of interest in the investigation.

(13) After receiving a search warrant, Ms. McCurry

provided a spreadsheet to Detective Jordan with

detailed location records for the defendant’s

electronic monitoring.

(14) Prior to locating the defendant as part of the traffic

stop, officers went to the defendant’s residence

searching for him in order to serve the outstanding

communicating threats warrant. They looked into

the window of a workshop outbuilding and saw

bullets on a shelf of unknown type, brand, or caliber.

(15) Based on Officer Jordan’s training and experience

and facts uncovered as part of law enforcement’s

investigation, he articulated as part of both search

warrants items that he was looking for that were

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relevant to the investigation and that would aid in

the apprehension or conviction of a suspect, namely

the defendant.

(16) [T]he Secretary of the North Carolina Department of

Public Safety has issued Administrative Memo

01.14 10-13 dated October 24, 2013, and updated by

Tip of the Month dated May 2016 directing that

Probation and Parole release electronic monitoring

information to law enforcement without the need for

a court order.

¶ 46 The trial court then made the following conclusions of law:

(1) Based on the foregoing findings of fact, the Court

concludes as a matter of law that there was

sufficient probable cause for the issuance of both

search warrants.

(2) [T]here has been no substantial violation of Chapter

15A that warrants suppression, and, therefore, the

defendant’s motion to suppress is denied.

¶ 47 At the suppression hearing on 3 February 2020, Sergeant Jordan testified that

based on his “training and experience” he knows that “rounds are [typically] stored

not only with the weapon, but also typically in the home of an individual.” He further

testified based on his training and experience, information about a firearm, such as

proof of purchase and documentation, is typically located in residences. Sergeant

Jordan’s investigation uncovered the fact that Defendant had bullets of an unknown

type on the shelf at his residence as well as casings head-stamped with “FC LUGER

9 MM” found inside of his truck on 22 March 2017; Sergeant Jordan found casings

matching the same description at the homicide scene of Bobby Pegg on 23 March

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2017. Based on these facts, Sergeant Jordan requested items from Defendant’s home

in the search warrant which he and his team “believed probably existed at

[Defendant’s] residence,” including bloodstain evidence, DNA evidence, electronic

and telephonic communications, prescription drugs, controlled substances,

photographs, weapons, and other types of evidence such as casings.

¶ 48 In light of Sergeant Jordan’s testimony and the affidavit itself, there was

competent evidence to support the finding challenged by Defendant. See Cooke, 306

N.C. at 134, 291 S.E.2d at 619. The trial court’s findings of fact were supported by

competent evidence, and thus, conclusively binding on appeal. See id. at 134, 291

S.E.2d at 619. Further, the trial court’s ultimate conclusions of law are supported by

its findings of fact. See id. at 134, 291 S.E.2d at 619. Therefore, the trial court did

not err in denying Defendant’s motion to suppress evidence from his residence.

V. Motion to Suppress Evidence of Defendant’s Electronic Monitoring

Data

¶ 49 In his second argument, Defendant contends the trial court erred in refusing

to suppress electronic monitoring data and allowing the State to introduce the data

at trial because DPS released Defendant’s electronic monitoring information to law

enforcement without a court order, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-207. The State

argues Defendant is not entitled to a new trial because: “(1) the evidence introduced

was obtained pursuant to a court order; (2) the Secretary of [DPS] consented to

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disclosure of the evidence; (3) the evidence was not subject to suppression; and (4)

officers would have sought a search warrant for the records regardless of any

statutory violation.” As discussed below, we agree with the State that no plain error

occurred at trial.

¶ 50 Here, Sergeant Jordan was investigating the death of Bobby Pegg. In the

course of the investigation, Sergeant Jordan found out from Captain Elkins, who was

also investigating Pegg’s death, that Defendant was a suspect and wore an electronic

monitoring device. Sergeant Jordan and Captain Elkins spoke with McCurry about

obtaining Defendant’s GPS information, and she provided the requested data

verbally over the telephone. Sergeant Jordan subsequently prepared and executed a

search warrant for the GPS data, which was located in the care, custody, and control

of DPS, and he received that information pursuant to the search warrant.

¶ 51 Although Defendant filed a pre-trial motion to suppress the GPS data, he

acknowledges he did not object to the introduction of GPS evidence during the trial

on the basis DPS released privileged information to law enforcement without a court

order. Rather, Defendant objected at trial on the grounds the witness testifying

regarding the DPS records did not “lay the proper foundation that th[e] GPS

communication device was working properly . . . .” See State v. Oglesby, 361 N.C. 550,

554, 648 S.E.2d 819, 821 (2007) (“[A] trial court’s evidentiary ruling on a pretrial

motion is not sufficient to preserve the issue of admissibility for appeal unless a

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defendant renews the objection during trial.”); see also N.C. R. App. P. 10(a)(1) (“In

order to preserve an issue for appellate review, a party must have presented to the

trial court a timely request, objection, or motion, stating the specific grounds for the

ruling the party desired the court to make if the specific grounds were not apparent

from the context.”). Thus, Defendant did not properly preserve the issue for appeal

as to the trial court’s alleged statutory violation under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-207. See

N.C. R. App. P. 10(a)(1). Therefore, we review the alleged statutory violation under

the plain error standard. See N.C. R. App. P. 10(a)(4).

[T]he plain error rule . . . is always to be applied cautiously

and only in the exceptional case where, after reviewing the

entire record, it can be said the claimed error is a

fundamental error, something so basic, so prejudicial, so

lacking in its elements that justice cannot have been done,

or where [the error] is grave error which amounts to a

denial of a fundamental right of the accused, or the error

has resulted in a miscarriage of justice or in the denial to

appellant of a fair trial or where the error is such as to

seriously affect the fairness, integrity or public reputation

of judicial proceedings or where it can be fairly said the

instructional mistake had a probable impact on the jury’s

finding that the defendant was guilty.

State v. Odom, 307 N.C. 655, 660, 300 S.E.2d 375, 378 (1983) (citing United States v.

McCaskill, 676 F. 2d 995, 1002 (4th Cir. 1982) (internal quotation marks omitted).

¶ 52 N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-207 creates a qualified privilege for:

[a]ll information and data obtained in the discharge of

official duty by any probation officer shall be privileged

information, shall not be receivable as evidence in any

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court, and shall not be disclosed directly or indirectly to any

other than the judge or to others entitled under this Article

to receive reports, unless and until otherwise ordered by a

judge of the court or the Secretary of Public Safety.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-207 (2019); see State v. Craft, 32 N.C. App. 357, 361, 232 S.E.2d

282, 285, disc. rev. denied, 292 N.C. 642, 235 S.E.2d 63 (1977) (concluding the

qualified privilege created by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-207 was inapplicable to case where

“the items seized were not information and data”).

¶ 53 For multiple reasons, we reject Defendant’s argument the trial court erred in

admitting his GPS data in this case. First, Defendant moved to suppress pursuant

to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-974 any evidence related to the search warrant seeking

Defendant’s GPS data obtained from the monitoring device he was wearing. Under

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-974(a)(2), evidence must be suppressed if “[i]t is obtained as a

result of a substantial violation of the provisions of [Chapter 15A].” N.C. Gen. Stat.

§ 15A-974(a)(2) (2019) (emphasis added). Thus, Section 15A-974(a)(2) does not

provide a mechanism by which Defendant could allege evidence was obtained as a

result of a substantial violation of Chapter 15, the chapter under which the

controlling statute, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-207, is found.

¶ 54 Second, the qualified privileged belonged to DPS, and DPS waived that

privilege by releasing data to law enforcement as to where Defendant traveled on 22

March 2017. See Craft, 32 N.C. App. at 361, 232 S.E.2d at 285; see also State v. Hardy,

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293 N.C. 105, 126, 235 S.E.2d 828, 841 (stating a qualified privilege can be waived).

Pursuant to DPS’s Administrative Memorandum 01.14.10-13 effective 24 October

2013, DPS was allowed to “[p]rovide location information [of offenders subject to

electronic monitoring] to law enforcement at their request.” The policy was re-

published in DPS’s May 2016 Tip of the Month interoffice memorandum. Copies of

both documents were admitted into evidence during the suppression hearing.

¶ 55 Lastly, McCurry, on behalf of DPS, complied with the search warrant in

providing the data to law enforcement, and it was this data that was actually

admitted at trial. Therefore, we conclude no plain error occurred at trial with respect

to the admission of GPS data concerning Defendant. See Odom, 307 N.C. at 660, 300

S.E.2d at 378.

VI. Refusal to Allow Cross-Examination

¶ 56 In his third argument, Defendant contends the trial court erred by not allowing

him to cross-examine Pegg’s niece, Riddle, regarding a Facebook message that Pegg

sent his mother. He argues that if the message had “been properly allowed in

evidence, it would have cast sufficient doubt upon the State’s case to have resulted in

the jury having reached a different result.” We disagree.

¶ 57 “The trial court’s determination as to whether an out-of-court statement

constitutes hearsay is reviewed de novo on appeal.” State v. Castaneda, 215 N.C.

App. 144, 147, 715 S.E.2d 290, 293 (emphasis added), appeal dismissed, 365 N.C. 354,

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718 S.E.2d 148 (2011).

¶ 58 “Hearsay” is defined as “a statement, other than one made by the declarant

while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the

matter asserted.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 801 (2021). Hearsay is generally

inadmissible. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 802 (2021).

¶ 59 In this case, Riddle attempted to testify regarding a Facebook message sent by

Pegg to his mother on 22 March 2017. Pegg’s message stated: “Knife to a gunfight it

is. Heading to Haw Branch with a knife alone, but I saw Jared heading that way.

Two birds, one stone or knife, whatever.” The trial court conducted a voir dire

examination regarding the admissibility of testimony concerning Pegg’s message.

The trial court ruled Riddle’s testimony regarding the Facebook message was hearsay

because Riddle’s grandmother told her about the Facebook message. The trial court

did not err in finding Riddle’s testimony about the Facebook message was hearsay

because the evidence was being offered for the truth of the matter asserted—to show

Pegg headed to Haw Branch to partake in a fight on the day he was murdered. See

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rules 801. Therefore, the proposed testimony was

inadmissible. See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 802.

¶ 60 Defendant relies on State v. McElrath in support of his argument that the trial

court erred in excluding the Facebook message. 322 N.C. 1, 366 S.E.2d 442 (1988).

In McElrath, the trial court refused to admit into evidence the defendant’s exhibit

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which was a “drawing found by law enforcement officers among the victim’s personal

effects [including] a rough map of the area surrounding [the] defendant’s North

Carolina home and numerous written notations indicating a possible larceny scheme”

targeting the defendant’s home. Id. at 11, 366 S.E.2d at 448. The defendant also

offered evidence to show the victim had argued with several other persons and left

with those persons on the date that the victim disappeared. Id. at 6–7, 366 S.E.2d at

443. Our Supreme Court held that the trial court erred in refusing to admit the

document because it “was relevant to a crucial issue in th[e] case,” and the defendant

met his burden to show the error was prejudicial. Id. at 14, 366 S.E.2d at 449–50.

¶ 61 Defendant argues “this case is the same as McElrath,” and had the trial court

admitted the Facebook message, “it would have cast sufficient doubt upon the State’s

case to have resulted in the jury having reached a different result; thus, he contends

the error was prejudicial. We disagree with Defendant’s assessment.

¶ 62 We have previously held:

[t]he rule of relevancy for evidence of [guilt of one other

than the defendant] is that it must do more than cast doubt

over the defendant’s guilt merely because it is possible

some other person could have been responsible for the

crime with which he has been charged.

Evidence that another committed the crime for which the

defendant is charged generally is relevant and admissible

as long as it does more than create an inference or

conjecture in this regard. It must point directly to the guilt

of the other party. Under Rule 401[,] such evidence must

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tend both to implicate another and be inconsistent with the

guilt of the defendant.

State v. Israel, 353 N.C. 211, 217, 539 S.E.2d 633, 637 (2000).

¶ 63 In this case, the Facebook message indicates Pegg may have headed to Haw

Branch at some time on 22 March 2017 with the intention to fight an undisclosed

person; however, Pegg’s message does no “more than cast doubt over [D]efendant’s

guilt merely because it is possible some other person could have been responsible for

the crime; it does not “point directly to the guilt of [another] party.” See Israel, 353

N.C. at 217, 539 S.E.2d at 637. This conclusion is particularly bolstered given Pegg

was murdered while he was sitting on his living room couch, and the State’s evidence

tends to show the bullets and shell casings found at Pegg’s home matched bullets in

Defendant’s possession and were fired from a gun that was in Defendant’s possession.

Furthermore, the record tends to show Defendant was at the address of Pegg’s house

on 22 March 2017 during a time when the offense could have been committed and

after Pegg was last seen alive. Unlike McElrath, Defendant in this case did not

present any other evidence to cast doubt upon the State’s theory of the case; he solely

created an inference that another person was responsible for Pegg’s death. See id. at

217, 539 S.E.2d at 637. Thus, the proposed evidence is too remote and speculative to

be relevant. See id. at 217, 539 S.E.2d at 637. Therefore, the trial court properly

denied admitting Pegg’s Facebook message at trial.

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VII. Firearm Identification Evidence

¶ 64 In his fourth argument, Defendant contends that the trial court erred by

allowing the State’s firearm expert to opine the empty, fired, shell casings; the 9mm

fired, copper-jacket bullet; and the jacket fragment were all fired from the same

Cobray firearm on the basis her opinion lacked a proper foundation. He further

contends Wilson did not testify as to how she applied the principles and methods she

normally uses in examining firearms and bullets to this case. The State argues

Wilson’s “extensive testimony showed the principles and methods used by her in

identifying the murder weapon were reliable.” For the following reasons, we agree

with the State.

¶ 65 Defendant acknowledges that he failed to object to the admission of Wilson’s

expert testimony at trial, but nevertheless argues the trial court committed plain

error by allowing her testimony.

¶ 66 “Under the plain error rule, [the] defendant must convince this Court not only

that there was error, but that absent the error, the jury probably would have reached

a different result.” State v. Griffin, 268 N.C. App. 96, 99, 834 S.E.2d 435, 437 (2019)

(citation omitted).

¶ 67 N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 702 provides:

(a) [i]f scientific, technical or other specialized

knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the

evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified

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as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or

education, may testify thereto in the form of an opinion, or

otherwise, if all of the following apply:

(1) The testimony is based upon sufficient

facts or data.

(2) The testimony is the product of reliable

principles and methods.

(3) The witness has applied the principles and

methods reliably to the facts of the case.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 702(a) (2019); see State v. McGrady, 368 N.C. 880, 889–

90, 787 S.E.2d 1, 8–9 (2016). As we explained in State v. McPhaul, “[t]he precise

nature of the reliability inquiry will vary from case to case depending on the nature

of the proposed testimony.” 256 N.C. App. 303, 313, 808 S.E.2d 294, 303 (2017), disc.

rev. improvidently allowed, 371 N.C. 467, 818 S.E.2d 102 (2018). “[A] trial court’s

ruling on the admissibility of expert testimony will not be reversed on appeal absent

a showing of abuse of discretion.” State v. Godwin, 369 N.C. 605, 610–11, 800 S.E.2d

47, 51 (2017) (internal quotation marks omitted).

¶ 68 The State cites to State v. Griffin to argue Wilson’s testimony was proper, and

the trial court did not commit plain error with respect to the admission of her

testimony. 268 N.C. App. 96, 834 S.E.2d 435 (2019). In Griffin, our Court rejected

the defendant’s contention that the trial court plainly erred where the expert witness

testified:

(1) she was formally educated and trained in forensic

science and in the field of firearms examination;

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(2) she tested and analyzed the firearm, bullets, and

cartridge casings in keeping with the procedures and

methods learned during her specialized training in

firearms examination;

(3) her tests generated data, which she analyzed and

used to form an opinion on whether or not the bullets

and casings came from the recovered firearm; and

(4) the data and conclusion were described in a written

report and subsequently peer-reviewed by one of

[her] colleagues in the Firearms Unit.

Id. at 108, 834 S.E.2d at 441. Furthermore, the expert witness testified on cross-

examination as to national standards set for firearms examination as well as reports

and studies conducted in the field of firearms analysis. Id. at 108, 834 S.E.2d at 442.

We concluded the testimony of the expert witness “show[ed] that her opinion was the

product of reliable principles and methods, and that she reliably applied the

principles and methods to the facts of the case”; thus, we held the trial court did not

abuse its discretion or commit plain error in admitting her testimony. Id. at 109, 834

S.E.2d at 442.

¶ 69 In the instant case, Wilson was tendered as an expert in the area of firearms

identification and examination without objection upon testifying regarding her

formal education and training. According to Wilson, after receiving a master’s degree

in forensic science, she completed a two-year in-house training program in the

firearms section of the North Carolina State Crime Lab. She was a firearms examiner

for the North Carolina State Crime Lab from 2011 to 2017. The training involved

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both written and practical components, and consisted of a wide range of study topics,

including: the history of firearms, ammunition, mechanics of firearms, disassembling

and reassembling multiple types of firearms, safety features, the manufacture of

firearms, microscopic comparisons, class characteristics, individual characteristics,

serial number restorations, and distance determinations. The training also included

a final, practical competency examination involving forensic firearm identification.

¶ 70 Wilson worked as a firearms examiner for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal

Apprehension since January of 2018. The number of comparisons she has performed

as a firearms examiner “go[es] into the thousands.” Wilson had testified as an expert

in firearms examination and identification in North Carolina courts approximately

twenty-five times.

¶ 71 When asked by the State what makes forensic firearm identification possible,

Wilson testified:

The identification is possible because of the marks that are

imparted onto a firearm during the manufacturing process.

During the manufacturing process, a manufacturer will

make some choices about what kind of firearm they’re

going to manufacture, and there are some characteristics

that they choose and they select. Examples of that would

be the number of lands and grooves that they are going to

put inside a barrel. Those are raised and lowered portions

on the inside of the barrel that grip the bullet and they

twist to the right or the left, and that’s what imparts spin

and stability onto the bullet.

So a manufacturer may choose that they want five lands

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and grooves and they’re going to twist to the right, or they

may opt to have six lands and grooves and twist to the left.

Those are class characteristics. So those are more broad

and could apply to multiple firearms, multiple models, et

cetera.

Another example would be the shape of the firing pin that

they are going to manufacture for that firearm. It may be

hemispherical. It may be elliptical. These are all decisions

that are made prior to the manufacturing process, and

these are the class characteristics, or a much broader group

of characteristics.

Additionally, during the manufacturing process, but not

controlled by the manufacturer, are the individual

characteristics. These are aspects of the firearm that are

unique to that particular firearm, and it’s because of the

manufacturing process, it’s because of the tools that are

used to manufacture, and the mechanisms used to

manufacture.

During the manufacturing process, the tools used to

manufacture the firearms are stronger. That’s how they’re

able to cut away from basically a steel tube and turn it into

a barrel. But during this process, the tools themselves will

change to a small degree. Think of it as a piece of

sandpaper on wood. As you brush the sandpaper on the

wood, the sandpaper is removing particles of that wood.

But over time that sandpaper also changes such that it gets

dulled and eventually has to be replaced. It’s that same

aspect with the manufacturing of firearms. So those tools

will change, and therefore, they’re imparting different

marks onto the firearms, one from the next. And then, as

well, the tools have to be changed or resharpened as they

dull.

The other way that firearms can take on individual

characteristics is after they leave the manufacturer,

through use, through abuse, through rust, corrosion; all of

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those aspects can create individual characteristics.

Those individual characteristics are useful for the

comparative process when they are reproducible, meaning

that they are copied into multiple bullets or multiple

cartridge cases. As a firearms examiner, I’m looking for

that detail that can be seen, that gets copied onto the

cartridge cases or onto the bullets, for example, from the

firearm.

¶ 72 Wilson then testified regarding the process by which she typically examines a

firearm when it comes into her office:

Initially, I would examine the firearm looking for any

damaged or missing components, looking at just the overall

condition of the firearm. I’m going to do a function test on

the firearm. That’s going to include examining all the

safety features that are present and testing them to see if

they are functioning properly. That also includes a trigger-

pull determination, which is a measurement of how much

weight has to be applied to the trigger in order for the

firearm to fire. And then as the final step of the function

test, the firearm is test fired. That is where ammunition is

placed into the firearm. This is laboratory ammunition,

typically, and the firearm is test fired. So the trigger is

pulled, the firearm is fired, and the cartridge case and

bullets are collected.

Test firing is generally done in a water tank, which is a big

steel tank full of water. And by shooting into this tank of

water, it slows down the projectiles, the bullets, such that

you can retrieve those bullets, and they are in a pristine or

near pristine condition for any future comparisons in the

case, and this also serves as the last step of the function

exam to show that the firearm is capable of firing.

¶ 73 Next, Wilson testified that she performed the tests described above on the

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Ruger 9-millimeter and Cobray 9-millimeter that she examined and had the following

exchange with the State prosecutor regarding her findings:

[Wilson]: [t]he K-1 Cobray pistol functions properly and

has a single action trigger pull greater than

four pounds, but less than or equal to five

pounds.

The K-2 Ruger pistol functions properly. The

K-2 Ruger pistol has a single action trigger

pull greater than five pounds, but less than or

equal to six pounds and a double action

trigger pull greater than 11-and-a-half

pounds, but less than or equal to 13 pounds.

[State]: And so did both of those firearms fire

properly?

[Wilson]: Yes, that’s correct.

[State]: And as part of your firearms examination do

you look at – you said you examine the

firearm itself; is that right?

[Wilson]: Yes.

[State]: Do you ever examine the firing pin on these

weapons?

[Wilson]: Yes.

[State]: Was there anything that you noticed about

the firing pin on either of these items?

[Wilson]: Yes. As a part of looking at the class

characteristics, I note the – for examination

purposes if it’s going to be used for

comparison, then I will look at the shape of

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the firing pin to see if that is in agreement on

class characteristics to anything else that I

would be comparing it to.

[State]: And did you examine the firing pin on the

Ruger 9 millimeter?

[Wilson]: I did not end up comparing the Ruger 9

millimeter to anything in this case. So I did

not specifically examine the firing pin.

[State]: Did you examine the firing pin on the Cobray?

[Wilson]: Yes, I did.

[State]: And what, if anything, did you notice about

the firing pin on the Cobray?

[Wilson]: I noted that it left a rectangular shaped firing

pin impression when firing.

[State]: And based on your training and experience in

the time you’ve been doing firearms

examinations, is there anything unique about

a rectangular firing pin?

[Wilson]: That is extremely uncommon for a center fire

firearm, that would be a firearm that hits the

cartridge in the center. While rectangular

firing pins are common for your rim-fire

caliber firearms, such as your .22 caliber

firearms, they are not common for the center-

fire firearms such as a 9 millimeter Luger

pistol.

¶ 74 Wilson went on to testify regarding how she performs a comparison test:

A comparison examination is going to be conducted using a

comparative microscope. This is a microscope that has a

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single eyepiece, but it has two separate stages. So you can

put one item on one stage and a separate item on the other

stage. And when you look through the eyepiece you are

able to see both items simultaneously. So you can lay them

side-by-side and do essentially, a microscopic comparison

between those two.

For the purposes of firearms examination, first what I’ll do

is I’ll look at those test fired bullets or cartridge cases that

I acquired through the test firing process. I’m looking at

those to see what kind of detail is replicating and suitable

for comparison purposes.

When we do comparative examinations, first we look at

those class characteristics. So those, as I spoke of earlier,

are a more broad category of characteristics. We group

items based off of those class characteristics. If all the

discernible class characteristics are in agreement, then we

continue the examination using the comparative

microscope on individual characteristics. However, if there

is a difference in the class characteristics, such as a bullet

has five land and groove impressions, but the firearm

submitted for comparison has six land and groove

impressions, or lands and grooves . . . then that is a

difference in class characteristics, and that bullet could not

have been fired by that firearm, and therefore, it is

eliminated and the examination is completed at that time.

But if those class characteristics are all in agreement, then

we move on to the individual comparison, and that is done

through the comparative microscope.

¶ 75 Wilson testified she applied the methods and principles of comparison testing,

described above, to the items that were received in this case, including the firearms,

shell casings, bullets, and projectiles. Based on the data, she prepared a report of her

examinations. Wilson concluded items Q-1, Q-2, Q-3, Q-4, Q-5, Q-6, and Q-7, the

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silver-colored spent shell casings found around Pegg’s body, were all fired from the

K-1 Cobray pistol. Item Q-13, a one caliber .38 class fired copper jacket collected from

Pegg’s jaw, “was determined to have been fired from the same firearm as the Q-8

bullet, the Q-11 jacket fragment [found embedded in wood inside Pegg’s home], and

the Q-15 bullet. And the Q-13 jacket was fired from the K-1 Cobray pistol.” Item Q-

15, a one caliber .38 class fired copper-jacketed bullet collected from Pegg’s jaw, “was

fired from the same firearm as the Q-8 bullet, the Q-11 jacket fragment, and the Q-

13 jacket. And the Q-15 bullet was fired from the K-1 Cobray pistol.”

¶ 76 On cross-examination, Wilson testified regarding ammunition and the type of

ammunition she used in performing the comparison tests in the instant case. She

further testified it was not possible that two different weapons fired the rounds she

examined.

¶ 77 Like the expert witness’s testimony in Griffin, Wilson’s testimony

demonstrates it was “based upon sufficient facts or data” and “is the product of

reliable principles and methods.” See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 702(a); Griffin,

268 N.C. App. at 108, 834 S.E.2d at 442. We conclude Wilson’s testimony shows she

“applied the principles and methods reliably to the facts of the case.” See N.C. Gen.

Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 702(a). Therefore, we hold the trial court did not plainly err by

admitting Wilson’s expert testimony.

VIII. Motion to Dismiss the First Degree Murder Charge

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¶ 78 In his final argument, Defendant argues the trial court erred in denying his

motion to dismiss the charge of first degree murder. Specifically, Defendant contends

the State’s evidence was insufficient to show malice, premeditation, and deliberation

or that he committed the killing. We disagree.

We review the trial court’s denial of a motion to dismiss de

novo. A motion to dismiss for insufficient evidence is

properly denied if there is substantial evidence (1) of each

essential element of the offense charged, or of a lesser

offense included therein, and (2) of defendant’s being the

perpetrator of such offense. Substantial evidence is such

relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as

adequate to support a conclusion. All evidence, both

competent and incompetent, and any reasonable inferences

drawn therefrom, must be considered in the light most

favorable to the State. Additionally, circumstantial

evidence may be sufficient to withstand a motion to dismiss

when a reasonable inference of defendant’s guilt may be

drawn from the circumstances. If so, it is the jury’s duty to

determine if the defendant is actually guilty.

State v. Blakney, 233 N.C. App. 516, 518, 756 S.E.2d 844, 846 (2014) (citation

omitted). “The State is entitled to every reasonable inference to be drawn from the

evidence. Contradictions and discrepancies do not warrant dismissal of the case;

rather, they are for the jury to resolve. Defendant’s evidence, unless favorable to the

State, is not to be taken into consideration.” State v. Franklin, 327 N.C. 162, 172,

393 S.E.2d 781, 787 (1990) (citations omitted).

¶ 79 To convict a defendant of first degree murder under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-17,

“the State must prove: (1) an unlawful killing; (2) with malice; (3) with the specific

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intent to kill formed after some measure of premeditation and deliberation.” State v.

Peterson, 361 N.C. 587, 595, 652 S.E.2d 216, 223 (2007), cert. denied, 552 U.S. 1271,

128 S. Ct. 1682, 170 L. Ed. 2d 377 (2008).

¶ 80 “[T]o overcome a motion [to dismiss in a murder case] and justify a conviction

of the defendant, the State must offer evidence from which it can be reasonably

inferred (1) that deceased died by virtue of a criminal act, and (2) that the act was

committed by the defendant.” State v. Lee, 294 N.C. 299, 302, 240 S.E.2d 449, 451

(1978) (citations omitted). “In order for the trial court to submit a charge of first

degree murder to the jury, there must have been substantial evidence presented from

which a jury could determine that the defendant intentionally . . . killed the victim

with malice, premeditation and deliberation.” State v. Corn, 303 N.C. 293, 296, 278

S.E.2d 221, 223 (1981).

¶ 81 Here, the parties do not dispute Pegg “died by virtue of a criminal act”; thus,

we turn to the issue of whether the act was committed by Defendant. See Lee, 294

N.C. at 302, 240 S.E.2d at 451.

C. Substantial Evidence of Defendant as the Murderer

¶ 82 Our Courts have considered factors such as “proof of motive, opportunity,

capability, and identity” when determining whether the evidence shows that a

particular person committed a particular crime. State v. Bell, 65 N.C. App. 234, 238,

309 S.E.2d 464, 467 (1983), aff’d, 311 N.C. 299, 316 S.E.2d 72 (1984). Although these

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factors are not essential elements of first degree murder, they “are circumstances

which are relevant to identify an accused as the perpetrator of a crime.” Id. at 238,

309 S.E.2d at 467. “[W]here the evidence is sufficient only to raise a suspicion or

conjecture as to either the commission of the offense or the identity of the defendant

as the perpetrator of it, the motion to dismiss should be allowed.” State v. Hayden,

212 N.C. App. 482, 484, 711 S.E.2d 492, 494 (2011) (citation and internal quotation

marks omitted).

¶ 83 Relying on North Carolina Supreme Court cases of State v. Cutler, 271 N.C.

379, 156 S.E.2d 679 (1967), State v. White, 293 N.C. 91, 235 S.E.2d 55 (1977), State

v. Lee, 294 N.C. 299, 240 S.E.2d 449 (1978), State v. Jones, 280 N.C. 60, 184 S.E.2d

862 (1971), and State v. Hood, 77 N.C. App. 170, 334 S.E.2d 421 (1985), Defendant

argues the State’s circumstantial evidence was insufficient to show he committed the

murder.

¶ 84 In State v. Cutler, the Court held that there was insufficient evidence to

establish that the defendant had an opportunity to commit the crime charged,

although it could be reasonably inferred from the evidence that the defendant was at

the home of the deceased around the time the victim died. 271 N.C. at 383, 156 S.E.2d

at 682.

¶ 85 In State v. White, the Court held that the State had established that the

defendant had an opportunity to commit the crime charged, but there was no other

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evidence of the defendant’s guilt. 293 N.C. at 97, 235 S.E.2d at 59.

¶ 86 In State v. Lee, the Court held the defendant’s motion to dismiss was

erroneously denied because the “State failed to offer substantial evidence that the

defendant was the one who shot [the victim]” despite any “inference that the

“defendant bore malice toward [the victim].” 294 N.C. at 302–03, 240 S.E.2d at 451.

¶ 87 In State v. Jones, the Court reversed a trial court’s grant of the defendant’s

motion to dismiss. 280 N.C. at 67, 184 S.E.2d at 866. The State presented evidence

sufficient to show the defendant had an opportunity to commit the crime, but the

“State failed to offer substantial evidence that [the] defendant was the one who shot

his wife” to link the empty cartridges found in the defendant’s pocket to the bullets

that killed the victim. Id. at 65–67, 184 S.E.2d at 865–66.

¶ 88 Finally, in State v. Hood, the Court held that “neither motive nor opportunity”

could be reasonably inferred from the evidence of the case. 77 N.C. App. at 173, 334

S.E.2d at 423 (emphasis omitted). A witness heard a gunshot fired in the direction

of the victim’s residence and then saw the defendant drive away. Id. at 173, 334

S.E.2d at 423. The Court noted that “[t]here [was] no evidence that [the] defendant

had access to the [victim’s residence] or that he otherwise gained entrance to it. There

[was] no evidence that [the] defendant was armed or that the deceased was present

in [his residence] at the time.” Id. at 173, 334 S.E.2d at 423.

¶ 89 The above cases are distinguishable from the instant case where there is

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substantial evidence Defendant had the opportunity to commit the crime and was

capable of doing so. See Bell, 65 N.C. App. at 238, 309 S.E.2d at 467. Furthermore,

there is substantial evidence that Defendant possessed the murder weapon as well

as the same ammunition that was used to shoot Pegg, and he was armed at a time

when a reasonable jury could find Defendant committed the crime. See Jones, 280

N.C. at 67, 184 S.E.2d at 866. Finally, the record shows Pegg’s house was unlocked

when he was at home; Defendant could have easily gained entrance to the home given

it was unlocked, and Defendant was presumably familiar with the home given the

prior work he performed at the house. See Hood, 77 N.C. App. at 173, 334 S.E.2d at

423. We now discuss Defendant’s opportunity and capability of committing the

murder of Pegg.

1. Opportunity

¶ 90 Defendant argues there is “absolutely no evidence of . . . opportunity” in this

case. The State contends there is sufficient evidence to show Defendant had the

opportunity as well as the means to commit murder.

¶ 91 “In order for this Court to hold that the State has presented sufficient evidence

of [the] defendant’s opportunity to commit the crime in question, the State must have

presented at trial evidence not only placing the defendant at the scene of the crime,

but placing him there at the time the crime was committed.” Hayden, 212 N.C. App.

at 488, 711 S.E.2d at 497.

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¶ 92 In this case, the State’s evidence showed Defendant’s electronic monitoring

device placed Defendant in the vicinity of Pegg’s home and at the scene of the crime

on 22 March 2017—one day before the deceased body was found and on the same day

Pegg was last seen alive, and at a time when a reasonable jury could find the crime

could have been committed. See State v. Miles, 222 N.C. App. 593, 601, 730 S.E.2d

816, 823 (2012) (holding testimony that the defendant was seen at the victim’s house

coupled with phone records pinpointing the defendant to the vicinity of the victim’s

home and site of the crime established the defendant had the opportunity to commit

the murder in light of the State’s evidence as a whole), aff’d, 366 N.C. 503, 750 S.E.2d

833 (2013).

¶ 93 Additionally, the State presented the testimony of Carson, whom Defendant

told he, “was going up the road to take care of some business,” while Defendant was

located on the same road as the victim’s house. Defendant made his statement after

he showed Carson a firearm matching the description of the murder weapon.

Considering the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, a reasonable jury

could conclude that Defendant was in the vicinity of Pegg’s home and the scene of the

crime at the time of Pegg’s death, which would establish Defendant had the

opportunity to commit the murder. See Blakney, 233 N.C. App. at 518, 756 S.E.2d at

846.

2. Capability

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¶ 94 Our courts have held evidence of opportunity by itself is insufficient to carry a

first degree murder case to the jury. See Bell, 65 N.C. App. at 238–39, 309 S.E.2d at

467. Thus, we next consider whether Defendant was capable of committing the

murder. See id. at 238, 309 S.E.2d at 467.

¶ 95 In the instant case, silver-colored shell casings with the headstamp of FC

LUGER 9 MM found around the victim’s body matched the ammunition that was

found in Defendant’s truck by law enforcement on 22 March 2021, shortly after

Defendant was in the vicinity of Pegg’s home, based on GPS data provided at trial.

The search of Defendant’s truck and home also revealed Defendant possessed

multiple guns, one of which was later determined to be the murder weapon. Thus,

the record contains sufficient evidence to permit a reasonable jury to find he had the

capability to commit first degree murder. See Lee, 294 N.C. at 302, 240 S.E.2d at 451.

¶ 96 Although the State’s evidence was solely circumstantial in this case, the

evidence did more than “raise a suspicion or conjecture as to . . . the identity of

[D]efendant as the perpetrator of it.” See Hayden, 212 N.C. App. at 484, 711 S.E.2d

at 494. Rather, the evidence was sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss as a

reasonable jury could infer Pegg’s death was a result of Defendant’s criminal act. See

Blakney, 233 N.C. App. at 518, 756 S.E.2d at 846; Bell, 65 N.C. App. at 238, 309

S.E.2d at 467. We hold there was substantial evidence that Pegg’s murder was

committed by Defendant when we consider all of the evidence in the light most

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favorable to the State. See id. at 518, 756 S.E.2d at 846; Lee, 294 N.C. at 302, 240

S.E.2d at 451.

3. Motive, Premeditation, & Deliberation

¶ 97 Defendant asserts the State’s case failed to present substantial evidence of

malice, premeditation, and deliberation. We disagree.

¶ 98 It is well-established by our Courts that “malice is presumed where the

defendant intentionally assaults another with a deadly weapon, thereby causing the

other’s death.” State v. Leazer, 353 N.C. 234, 238, 539 S.E.2d 922, 925 (2000) (citation

omitted). “Premeditation means that the act was thought over beforehand for some

length of time; however, no particular amount of time is necessary for the mental

process of premeditation.” State v. Trull, 349 N.C. 428, 509 S.E.2d 178 (1998), cert.

denied, 528 U.S. 835, 120 S. Ct. 95, 145 L. Ed. 2d 80 (1999). “Deliberation means an

intent to kill carried out by the defendant in a cool state of blood, in furtherance of a

fixed design for revenge or to accomplish an unlawful purpose and not under the

influence of a violent passion, suddenly aroused by lawful or just cause or legal

provocation.” State v. Hamlet, 312 N.C. 162, 170, 321 S.E.2d 837, 842–43 (1984)

(citation omitted). “The phrase ‘cool state of blood’ means that the defendant’s anger

or emotion must not have been such as to overcome the defendant’s reason.” Id. at

170, 321 S.E.2d at 843 (citation omitted).

¶ 99 “Premeditation and deliberation are mental processes which are ordinarily not

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susceptible to proof by direct evidence.” State v. Olson, 330 N.C. 557, 565, 411 S.E.2d

592, 596 (1992). Our Supreme Court

has identified several examples of circumstantial evidence,

any one of which may support a finding of the existence of

[premeditation and deliberation]: (1) absence of

provocation on the part of the deceased, (2) the statements

and conduct of the defendant before and after the killing,

(3) threats and declarations of the defendant before and

during the occurrence giving rise to the death of the

deceased, (4) ill will or previous difficulties between the

parties, (5) the dealing of lethal blows after the deceased

has been felled and rendered helpless, (6) evidence that the

killing was done in a brutal manner, and (7) the nature and

number of the victim’s wounds.

State v. Childress, 367 N.C. 693, 695, 766 S.E.2d 328, 330 (2014) (citation omitted).

¶ 100 Here, there is a presumption of malice given the evidence tends to show Pegg

was intentionally killed with a deadly weapon. See Leazer, 353 N.C. at 238, 539

S.E.2d at 925. There is also substantial evidence the killing was premeditated and

deliberate. See Blakney, 233 N.C. App. at 518, 756 S.E.2d at 846; Childress, 367 N.C.

at 695, 766 S.E.2d at 330. Pegg was found in a seated position on his couch with

multiple gunshot wounds to his head. A reasonable jury could conclude Pegg did

nothing to provoke Defendant. See State v. Rose, 339 N.C. 172, 195, 451 S.E.2d 211,

224 (1994) (stating the victim’s position of sitting in a chair with a pillow or blanket

on his chest indicated a lack of provocation on his part), cert. denied, 515 U.S. 1135,

115 S. Ct. 2565, 132 L. Ed. 2d 818 (1995). The multiple shots fired support an

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inference of Defendant’s premeditation and deliberation. See State v. Taylor, 362

N.C. 514, 533, 669 S.E.2d 239, 258 (2008), cert. denied, 558 U.S. 851, 130 S. Ct. 129,

175 L. Ed. 2d 84 (2009). At around the time that a reasonable jury could infer the

murder occurred, Defendant showed Carson a 9-millimeter firearm, consistent with

the description of the murder weapon. He also told Carson he “had to go up the road

to take care of some business.” A reasonable jury could infer that Defendant intended

to travel up Dillingham Road to Pegg’s house to kill Pegg. See State v. Williams, 151

N.C App. 535, 540, 566 S.E.2d 155, 159 (2002) (reasoning that bringing a revolver to

a meeting indicated “some preparation and intent to do [the victim] harm”).

¶ 101 The evidence tends to show Defendant fired three shots into Pegg’s head, two

of which were discharged at close range. This indicates Pegg was shot after he had

been felled and rendered unconscious, and he was killed in a brutal manner. See

Childress, 367 N.C. at 695, 766 S.E.2d at 330. In light of such evidence, we hold there

was substantial evidence of premeditation and deliberation; thus, the trial court did

not err in denying Defendant’s motion to dismiss the charge of first degree murder

and submitting the charge to the jury. See Blakney, 233 N.C. App. at 518, 756 S.E.2d

at 846; Corn, 303 N.C. at 296, 278 S.E.2d at 223.

IX. Conclusion

¶ 102 We hold the trial court did not err in denying Defendant’s motion to suppress

any evidence seized during the search of his residence because the affidavit was

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sufficient on its face. Further, the trial court’s findings of fact are supported by

competent evidence, and its conclusions of law are supported by findings of fact in its

order on the motion to suppress. The trial court did not commit plain error by denying

Defendant’s motion to suppress any evidence of Defendant’s electronic monitoring

data because Defendant did not cite to a statutory mechanism allowing him to

suppress such evidence, DPS waived its privilege with respect to the data by verbally

releasing it to law enforcement, and the GPS evidence actually admitted at trial was

the product of law enforcement’s search warrant.

¶ 103 The trial court did not err by disallowing the State’s witness to testify

concerning the murder victim’s Facebook message because it was hearsay. Even if

the message was offered for a non-hearsay purpose, Defendant failed to show the

message was relevant because he did no more than create an inference as to another

person’s guilt of the crime. The trial court did not plainly err in admitting testimony

of the State’s expert witness on firearm identification and examination because her

testimony met the requirements under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 702(a). Lastly,

the trial court did not err in denying Defendant’s motion to dismiss because the State

presented substantial evidence that Defendant committed the murder, and that he

acted with malice, premeditation, and deliberation. Accordingly, we conclude

Defendant received a fair trial, free of prejudicial error.

NO ERROR.

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Judges TYSON and GORE concur.