Almost exactly one year later the trial of accused killer Phillip Stroupe II is set to begin July 23rd at the Henderson County Courthouse. Phillip Michael Stroupe II is accused of killing Thomas Bryson, a Mills River man, on July 26, 2017 with a gunshot wound to the head. Stroupe was captured in McDowell County on July 27th after a massive, multi-county manhunt. Stroupe went through Yancey County and was captured in McDowell County. . Bryson’s body was discovered off Glenn Bridge Road in Arden three days after Stroupe’s capture. Stroupe was also indicted for robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree kidnapping. He currently faces more than a dozen charges, including first-degree murder, kidnapping, and robbery with a dangerous weapon. District Attorney Greg Newman has stated publicly, and filed written notice with the court, that he intends to seek the death penalty. The defendant’s father, Phillip Stroupe, also faces charges related to the case. Superior Court Judge Gregory Horne of Watauga County will preside over the trial.
