Office of the District Attorney Prosecutorial District 22 News Release • October 29, 2024
(Yanceyville, NC) – On October 25, 2024, Tyler David Crank, 20, was found guilty of Murder in the First Degree by a jury of his peers in Caswell County Superior Court. The Honorable R. Stuart Albright, Superior Court Judge, presided over the trial and sentenced the defendant to Life Imprisonment with the possibility of parole. The Defendant was eligible to receive the possibility of parole as part of his life sentence because he was 17 years old at the time of the murder, and so considered a juvenile for sentencing purposes. Under North Carolina law, Crank must serve a minimum of 25 years imprisonment before becoming eligible for parole. Unless the Defendant is granted parole by the North Carolina Post Release Supervision and Parole Commission, he will remain imprisoned for the remainder of his natural life.
On the evening of February 23, 2022, the Caswell County Sheriff’s Office responded to a stabbing at 470 Green Pasture Lane in Ruffin, N.C. Upon arrival, Jimmie “Joey” Joseph Crank Jr. was found unresponsive with a stab wound to his upper left chest. Law enforcement officers valiantly attempted to revive Joey, but he was pronounced dead at the scene by Caswell County Emergency Medical Services. Joey died from the deep stab wound, which had damaged his pulmonary artery. Defendant admitted to stabbing his father Joey with a knife.
District Attorney Katy Gregg would like to thank the Caswell County Sheriff Tony Durden, Lt. Ken Mitchell, former Investigator Vince Corbett, former Deputy Arran Tyndall, Sgt. Preston Halstead, Deputy Christian Yeaman, State Highway Patrol Trooper Kyle Underwood, Caswell County Communications, and Caswell County Emergency Medical Services for their quick response and thorough investigation. Additionally, District Attorney Gregg is grateful for the assistance of the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Special Agents Destinie Denny and Ray Oliver of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. District Attorney Gregg would also like to commend Assistant District Attorney and lead prosecutor Matthew T. Stigall, and Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew W. Cockman, along with the entire team at the Caswell County District Attorney’s Office for securing justice in this case.
“I am so proud of the hard work put forth by everyone in this case. The diligent efforts and teamwork approach used by law enforcement made it possible for my team to put Crank away for a very long time. This is the first guilty verdict for First Degree Murder in this District in approximately two decades. I hope this outcome gives Joey’s family closure and reassures our community that the Caswell and Rockingham
County District Attorney’s office is dedicated to seeking justice and holding those who commit such heinous acts of violence accountable” says District Attorney Katy Gregg.
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