Hazel Jamessa Renee Leach, a 28-year-old woman from Whiteville, North Carolina, was found dead on February 21, 2022. The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on McMillan Road in Whiteville, where they discovered Hazel Leach deceased on a bed with a gunshot wound to the head. The investigation quickly identified Lawrence Thomas, a 69-year-old man from Elizabethtown, as a person of interest.
Thomas and Leach were reportedly in a relationship.
On the evening of February 21, 2022, the Clinton Police Department encountered Lawrence Thomas on Faircloth Freeway in Clinton, North Carolina. Thomas attempted to flee from the police, reaching speeds of 85 mph in a 55 mph work zone. During the chase, Thomas struck and damaged multiple vehicles. He was eventually apprehended and charged with several offenses, including three counts of hit and run, driving with a revoked license, felony flee to elude arrest, reckless driving, and speeding.
While investigating Hazel Leach's homicide, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office learned of Thomas' arrest in Clinton. They obtained a search warrant for the vehicle Thomas was driving during the chase and discovered evidence related to the homicide inside the car. Subsequently, investigators obtained a search warrant for Thomas' residence. On March 4, 2022, Lawrence Thomas was arrested at his home in Elizabethtown and charged with the first-degree murder of Hazel Leach. He was transported to the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Center, where he was processed and booked. Thomas is currently being held without bond.
The investigation into Hazel Leach's death involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Clinton Police Department, Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, and Elizabethtown Police Department. The collaborative efforts of these agencies were crucial in apprehending Lawrence Thomas and gathering evidence related to the case.
