Homicide Suspect Attacks Deputy During Manhunt in Craven County
North Carolina - A dangerous homicide suspect, who is accused of murdering his grandmother, has now attacked a deputy sheriff with a knife and remains at large following an incident at a Bojangles restaurant in Vanceboro, North Carolina.
On October 29, 2025, the Craven County Sheriff's Office responded to the restaurant after receiving reports of a possible sighting of Dominic Connelly. The suspect was located in the bathroom of the business where he used a knife to assault a deputy sheriff before fleeing on foot.
Multiple law enforcement agencies are currently searching for Connelly in the area. He was last seen wearing all dark clothing and running toward Bailey Lane apartments behind the Bojangles location in North Carolina.
Additional warrants have been issued against Connelly for attempted first-degree murder, felony assault on law enforcement causing serious injury, and resisting a public officer.
The manhunt began following a death investigation on October 25, 2025. The Craven County Sheriff's Office responded to a structure fire at 2010 N.C. 101 Highway in Havelock, North Carolina. Fire Department members discovered Patricia Lopedote, 72, deceased inside the residence.
An investigation by the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Bureau identified Dominic Liam Connelly, 24, as the perpetrator. Connelly is the grandson of the victim. Lopedote's vehicle was missing from the residence, prompting authorities to issue a warrant against Connelly for larceny of a motor vehicle.
A press release with photos of Connelly and the vehicle was distributed to the public. On October 28, 2025, Lopedote's vehicle was located unoccupied in a parking lot on Pine Tree Drive near the baseball fields in New Bern, North Carolina.
An autopsy was completed and the District Attorney's Office was consulted. Connelly is wanted for an open count of murder, first-degree arson, and larceny of a motor vehicle. Authorities warn that anyone assisting Connelly in his unlawful flight to avoid arrest and prosecution will face criminal charges. If anyone sees Connelly, do not approach him and immediately call 911.
The public can provide information by contacting the Craven County Sheriff's Office at (252) 636-6620 or Craven County Communications at (252) 633-2357.
Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.
