(Press release from District Attorney’s office)
On October 30th, 2025 Lucas Wilson Murphy pled guilty to three counts of Attempted Murder, three counts of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury, three counts of Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and four counts of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer with a Firearm.
On July 24th, 2024 a team of the tree workers were working on the maintenance of power transmission line right-of-way in a remote part of Yancey County near the Nolichucky River. While working, the tree workers had encountered Mr. Murphy, who was living in a cabin on his father’s property. When later interview by law enforcement, the tree workers indicated that their conversations with Mr. Murphy prior to the shooting had been civil and non-confrontational. On the afternoon of July 24th, and without provocation, Murphy emerged from his cabin with a .22 rifle and began shooting at the tree workers, hitting and seriously injuring three of them. Murphy continued to stalk the victims through the woods until Sheriff’s Deputies with the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene. Because of the remote nature of the scene deputies initially had to access the site on foot using a rough forest road. As they approached Mr. Murphy’s cabin he began shooting at the deputies. They then returned fire, injuring Murphy. At that time Murphy surrendered and was taken into custody.
Pursuant to the terms of the plea, the Honorable Steven R. Warren, Superior Court Judge, sentenced Mr. Murphy to a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of 32 years to be served in the custody of the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections. “My office remains committed to ensuring that violent criminals like Mr. Murphy are removed from our community,” District Attorney Seth Banks said in a statement. “Mr. Murphy’s actions have caused tremendous harm to these men who were just doing their job when they were viciously attacked. In structuring this plea, we were able to ensure a long prison sentence for Mr. Murphy while also bringing closure and respecting some of the victim’s desire not to have to relive the horrors of that day througtheir testimony at trial.” Banks also commended the actions of the responding Yancey County Sheriff’s Deputies. “Without the heroic actions of John Proffitt, Joe Edwards, Jason Edmonds, and Brandon Wilson, who ran into the line of fire without regard for their own safety, the outcome here would have been even worse. These brave men represent the best of our community. Finally, I would like to thank the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations for their work investigating this case.”
