Man accused of killing Shelby police officer fights extradition from Rhode Island

A Cleveland County man accused of killing Shelby police Officer Tim Brackeen on Saturday is fighting extradition from Rhode Island, a spokeswoman for the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office said Thursday.

Irving Fenner Jr., 23, of Grover, was arrested early Wednesday at his uncle Corry Peeler’s apartment in Coventry, R.I., Rhode Island Attorney General spokeswoman Amy Kempe said. Fenner obeyed police commands to leave the apartment and was arrested without incident, according to the Rhode Island State Police.

Peeler and his girlfriend, Hope Wyman, both 39, were charged in Rhode Island with harboring a fugitive, a felony that carries a maximum five years in prison, Kempe said.

Fenner’s half-sister Jolisa Peeler, 27, of Providence, R.I., faces a North Carolina charge of accessory after the fact of first-degree murder for having driven to North Carolina to get Fenner and take him to Rhode Island, Kempe said.

Police used cellphone analysis to find Fenner, authorities said. Police said they went to Peeler’s home late Monday, but Fenner was not there. Jolisa Peeler was taken into custody at the home. She waived extradition and was scheduled to be taken to North Carolina on Thursday, Kempe said.

Because Fenner refused to waive extradition, the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office will have to obtain an indictment against Fenner to get a Rhode Island “governor’s warrant,” or extradition warrant, to transfer him to Cleveland County, Kempe said.

A judge in Kent County, R.I., set an Oct. 14 court date for an update on the governor’s warrant, Kempe said, although Fenner could be extradited sooner than that depending on when the indictment is obtained, she said.

Cleveland County District Attorney Mike Miller could not be reached on Thursday. Miller has said he plans to seek the death penalty against Fenner.

Fenner will remain in the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institute in Cranston, R.I., until his extradition is resolved, Kempe said.

Also charged with accessory after the fact are Deitra Morris and Fenner’s half-sister Casey Fenner of New York.

Morris, 37, was in the Cleveland County Jail on $250,000 bail on Thursday. Casey Fenner will be returned to North Carolina to face her charge, but it is unclear when.

Authorities also charged Ashley Hamrick, 28, with felony harboring an escapee. She was in the Cleveland County Jail on a $100,000 bail on Thursday. She is accused of harboring Fenner, knowing he was wanted, when Brackeen attempted to serve warrants on him early Saturday, Observer news partner WBTV reported. Fenner had outstanding warrants for first-degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping, the station reported.

Brackeen’s funeral is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday at Keeter Stadium, 230 E. Dixon Blvd. in Shelby. His brother, the Rev. Stephen Brackeen, will officiate. Burial will follow at Sunset Cemetery.

A Go Fund Me page to help Brackeen’s wife and daughter had raised $31,345 toward a $40,000 goal by Thursday night.

This story was originally published September 15, 2016 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Man accused of killing Shelby police officer fights extradition from Rhode Island."