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Willie Duran Armstrong, 26, of Hickory, was indicted on charges of felony altering, destroying or stealing criminal evidence and misdemeanor willfully failing to discharge duties, according to documents filed at the Catawba County Courthouse.

A grand jury indicted Armstrong on the charges Monday. Copies of the indictments allege Armstrong altered, destroyed and failed to preserve a recording from William Powell Crooks’ residence. Armstrong interviewed Crooks about the 1992 murder of Isis Denise “Dee Dee” Dawkins. Dawkins, 13, was found dead in the Henry Fork River on July 28, 1992.

Earlier this year, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation started investigating claims that Armstrong secretly recorded Crooks after an Oct. 6, 2024, interview. Search warrants alleged that Armstrong purposefully left his phone recording in Crooks’ home after he left. Armstrong returned for the phone 10 minutes later, the warrant said.

Armstrong in February.

In April, Armstrong said the

Armstrong was served with the indictments in Lincoln County on Wednesday just after 3:30 p.m., according to a copy of an arrest report from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

Brookford Town Administrator Marshall Eckard said the town had no comment on Armstrong’s indictment. Eckard said Armstrong has been placed on paid administrative leave until the town’s next board meeting on May 19.

Armstrong could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Armstrong’s bond was set at a total of $20,000 unsecured, according to court documents. He was due in court Thursday morning in Catawba County.