On November 9, 2023, 47-year-old Jimmy Lee Cool of Nebo, North Carolina, died unexpectedly.
Around noon that day, deputies from the McDowell County Sheriff's Office responded to a disturbance on Fairview Road in Marion, North Carolina. Upon arrival, they found Cool suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite medical attention, he succumbed to his injuries.
An investigation led authorities to identify 38-year-old Jeffery Allen Higgins as the shooter.
Higgins was promptly taken into custody and charged with murder. He is currently being held without bond. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is assisting the McDowell County Sheriff's Office with the ongoing investigation.
Cool's unexpected death has left the community in mourning. Born on November 20, 1975, in Burke County, he was known for his love of hunting, fishing, and woodworking. He is survived by his family, who are being assisted by Westmoreland Funeral Home in making arrangements.
