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Murphy – The District Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty against a homeless man from Asheville accused in the June 23 machete slaying of his estranged girlfriend, Lena Shook-Thompson.
Assistant district attorney John Hindsman Jr. said there is evidence of aggravating circumstances against Patrick Williams, 29, that would qualify the case for capital punishment.
During court on Oct. 24, Hindsman conferred privately with Superior Court Judge William Coward and the appointed defense attorney, J. Michael Edrey of Hendersonville, to discuss the aggravating circumstances. Details were not made public during the court session nor were they included in the case file as of Monday.
Williams appeared in court at the “Rule 24 hearing,” a pretrial conference in which a defendant stands charged with a crime punishable by death. He had closely shorn hair and facial hair in July shortly after his arrest, whereas by the time of his Oct. 24 hearing he had allowed his hair to grow out and was clean shaven. He also appeared to have gained weight.
Williams is being held without bond at the Cherokee County Detention Center. Court documents list Williams’ address to an Asheville homeless shelter.
Shook-Thompson, who was also described by law enforcement as homeless, was working as a dishwasher at Parson’s Pub in downtown Murphy and reportedly looking for a place to sleep outside on the evening of June 23 when she was confronted by Williams, who allegedly slashed her with a machete about her shoulders and head.
Shook-Thompson was still alive when law enforcement arrived at the scene following 911 calls from passing motorists. Hindsman said she remained conscious in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Williams had been seen in Murphy acting erratically in the days leading up to the homicide.
Cherokee County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a possible hit and run incident on June 23. Deputies located Shook-Thompson with life-threatening injuries beside a highway guardrail.
Cherokee County Emergency Medical Services responded and attempted to stabilize her. She was rushed to Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital in Peachtree, where she died of her injuries.
Deputies concluded from her injuries that Shook-Thompson had been the victim of an assault. When further investigation led deputies to Williams as a suspect, he was taken into custody and charged.
Thompson’s funeral was held June 29. According to her obituary, she was born in Blairsville, Ga. She is survived by her husband, Scott Thompson of Blairsville, and three children.
Her parents attended the Oct. 26 hearing and met privately with prosecuting staff and Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith afterward.