Warren Basco "Sneak" Lewis III, a 38-year-old male, was tragically killed on June 9, 2011, in Kinston, North Carolina. Lewis, who served as an investigator with the Nash County Sheriff's Office and was also a sworn Deputy United States Marshal, was shot and killed while serving a warrant with the Eastern North Carolina Fugitive Task Force. The task force was at a residence on West Lenoir Avenue in Kinston to serve a warrant in connection with a murder investigation. During the search of the residence, Lewis was shot multiple times by Lamont Deshawn Byrd, a 21-year-old male, who was later arrested and charged with the murder.
The incident occurred around 7:00 pm when Lewis and other members of the task force were conducting a search of the residence. Byrd, who was inside the residence, fired three shots through a closed door, striking Lewis. After realizing he had shot an officer, Byrd reportedly uttered, "See what you made me do?" before handing the weapon to another individual to hide. The weapon, a Beretta .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, was later found in a closet with Byrd's DNA on it. The pistol had been stolen from a residence three weeks prior.
Following a 20-minute standoff, Byrd and several other individuals were arrested. Byrd was charged with first-degree murder and later pleaded guilty to the charge in federal court. On August 4, 2014, Byrd was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The next day, in Lenoir County Superior Court, he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole a second time. Additionally, Byrd was sentenced to 88 months for malicious conduct by a prisoner, stemming from an incident in March 2012 when he threw urine on a female corrections officer.
The investigation into Lewis's death revealed that Byrd, along with Kion Tyearl Dail and two additional juveniles, had been involved in the murder of Thomas Terrell Hinton on June 2, 2011. Hinton was found fatally shot in the chest, and the suspects had stolen his bicycle. Murder warrants were issued for the arrest of Byrd, Dail, and the juveniles. Law enforcement officers, including Lewis, were attempting to locate the suspects when the fatal shooting occurred.
Lewis's death was a significant loss to the law enforcement community. He had served with the Nash County Sheriff's Office for nine years and was a dedicated member of the Eastern North Carolina Fugitive Task Force. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and parents. The tragedy of his death underscored the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty and the impact of violent crime on families and communities.
