Police chief seeks to have charges dismissed against him in cold case

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 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.

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The motion involved how the SBI and sheriff’s office didn’t initially turn over the case file to the Brookford Police Department.

Armstrong was briefly suspended after the indictments but was back on the job in Brookford.

Earlier this year, he also announced plans to run for sheriff in Catawba county.

The charges stem from an interview Armstrong did in connection with the killing and rape of Dawkins in 1992.

He is accused of using his cellphone to record an interview with William Crooks and leaving the phone behind inside the house.

The only thing captured on that cellphone was a recording of the show Gunsmoke.

Armstrong admitted to “purposely leaving his cellphone behind to record Crooks to see if he made any statements when he left,” according to court documents.

However, in the motion to dismiss, Armstrong claimed it was unintentional and when he heard it was only Gunsmoke deleted that portion of the recording.

The sheriff’s office said they did turn over the Dawkins murder case file to Brookford in November 2024.

They were also unaware of his plans to run for sheriff, claiming he told the sheriff on two separate occasions he did not plan to run for sheriff.

Hear from the district attorney starting at 5 p.m. on Eyewitness News.

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