Death penalty hearing under way for man found guilty of murdering retired teacher

WHITEVILLE, N.C. (WECT) - A death penalty hearing is underway Monday for a man who was found guilty last week in the murder of a retired music teacher.

James Edward McKamey was convicted in the 2016 murder of Carol Greer, a former music teacher in Columbus County. McKamey stabbed Greer to death and then left her body near a small storage building behind her home in August 2016.

He also was found guilty of attempted murder and assault in connection to the stabbing of Reshonta Love.

Jurors heard testimony today from three of McKamey’s sisters today who pleaded for a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Those sisters shared details about growing up in an abusive household. They also shared McKamey had suffered from head trauma in a car accident at a young age and said he struggled with drug use.

His sisters said they never knew McKamey to be a violent person, but apologized to Greer’s family and acknowledged their pain.

The court will reconvene Tuesday at 9:15 a.m., where the district attorney’s office will call its own witnesses. The jury will deliberate whether to sentence McKamey to life without parole or to the death penalty.

According to North Carolina General Statute, jurors must reach a unanimous agreement to issue a death penalty sentence. If jurors cannot reach a unanimous agreement in a timely manner, the judge will issue a sentence of life without the opportunity for parole. The last time a death row inmate was executed in North Carolina was in 2006.

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