BROOKFORD, N.C. — Attorneys for Brookford Police Chief Willie Armstrong have filed a motion to dismiss charges against him, stemming from a 1992 murder investigation tied to the death of 13-year-old Dee Dee Dawkins. Armstrong, who was briefly suspended and later reinstated, admitted to leaving his cellphone in a witness’s home but argued the recording was unintentional.
Earlier this year, he also announced plans to run for sheriff in Catawba County.
Armstrong believes this is all “politically motivated agenda.”
“Because I said I’m running for sheriff, they leveraged this poor little girls case against me,” Armstrong said referring to the case.
The case involves the 1992 murder and rape of Dee Dee Dawkins. Her body was found along the Henry Fork River in Catawba County.
Court documents show that in July of 2023, Armstrong reopened the cold case but was denied or only provided partial records to the case file by both the sheriff’s office and SBI.
“Unfortunately, the resistance we faced has been both unpredictable and not any agency wishes,” Armstrong said.
“You never thought you would run into that?” Channel 9’s Dave Faherty asked Armstrong.
“No, it’s not normal,” Armstrong said.
A grand jury indicted Armstrong for destroying evidence and willful failure to discharge his duties.
The allegations stem from an interview Armstrong did in the Dee Dee Dawkins case where he recorded a man with his cellphone.
A search warrant said Armstrong, “purposely left his cellphone behind to record the man to see if he made any statements when he left.”
However, in the motion to dismiss, Armstrong claims it was “unintentional” and when he heard the cellphone only captured audio of the TV show Gunsmoke he deleted that portion of the recording.
The sheriff’s office said they did provide the Dee Dee Dawkins case file, but it was two months before anyone from Brookford Police picked it up.
“We are absolutely unequivocally not corrupt in this sheriff’s office,” said Sheriff Don Brown, Cabarrus County. “We continue to serve our citizens in this county with honor, integrity and transparency.”
District Attorney Scott Reilly has asked for a prosecutor from out of the area to handle the Armstrong’s case and for the sheriff office and SBI to look into the Dee Dee Dawkins murder.
But he said Brookford and its chief won’t share what they’ve found.
“Whatever evidence they have or their files on three different occasions. And what’s happened. We’ve received nothing,” Reilly said.
The motion to dismiss said there is a lack of sufficient evidence, and the charges should be dismissed. The case will be heard by a judge next week.
VIDEO: Brookford police chief indicted, accused of destroying evidence in 1992 cold case
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