4 White Supremacists Charged in Murder Plot

WRAL News, North Carolina/February 2, 2007

Greenville — The investigation into two church arsons has uncovered a group of white supremacists involved in a murder conspiracy, police said Friday.

Two Jan. 13 fires destroyed Memorial Baptist Church and damaged Unity Free Will Baptist Church, both in Greenville. Authorities have determined both fires were deliberately set, but they haven't yet charged anyone with either arson.

As authorities investigated the arsons, a tip led them to people tied to the Aryan Brotherhood, a self-proclaimed white-supremacist group. Police said the local group members were linked to illegal activities, and an early morning raid Friday on two area homes resulted in four arrests and the seizure of weapons, computers and paraphernalia covered with Nazi and Ku Klux Klan symbols.

"These folks have a history of being dangerous. They have a history of committing crimes against folks," Greenville Police Chief William Anderson said.

At least four members of the group kidnapped two men tied to their group, assaulted them and conspired to kill at least one of them, police said.

"What makes this a bit different is we've actually stumbled somewhat onto a planned murder," Pitt County Sheriff Mac Manning said.

Albert Jack O'Neal, 16, is charged with two counts each of first-degree kidnapping and assault with intent to inflict serious injury and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. Dustin Grey Fricke, 18, Tiffany Dawn O'Neal Maxwell, 36, and Wallace Woodard III, 25, are each charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, assault with intent to inflict serious injury and conspiracy to commit murder.

Woodard also is charged with communicating threats, police said a juvenile suspect also might be charged in the case.

All four are being held in the Greenville County Detention Center on $1 million bonds.

The address of all four is listed as 506 Shellbrook Court in Greenville, which was one of the homes raided Friday. Authorities also raided 2913 Mills Road in Greenville.

Authorities said they haven't found a link between the supremacist group and the church fires, but the investigation is continuing.

"We haven't rule anyone out yet," Anderson said, calling the four people "persons of interest" in the arson cases.

Investigators also plan to look deeper into the activities of the supremacist group.