Killing of Isaac J. Mayo in North Carolina in 1947

Incident

Case summary

Isaac J. Mayo (1923-1947), a laborer and WWII veteran, was killed by unknown person(s) in Warren County, North Carolina. In separate incidents, Mayo and Henry Andrews had been arrested for drunkenness and disorderly conduct by police chief Willie N. Carter and officer Mark P. Bottoms and were both in the police car together being driven to jail. The officers alleged that Andrews attacked them and Carter fatally shot Andrews in self-defense. Coroner’s jury exonerated the officers, but the NAACP persuaded the FBI to investigate. Mayo provided a witness statement, claiming he was asleep during the shooting and did not see anything. Weeks later, Mayo’s body was found under suspicious circumstances on the tracks of the Seaboard Airline railroad. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.

Victim(s):

Isaac J. Mayo


Date of incident: 1947-08-24
Location: Norlina, Warren County, North Carolina
Location type: public space - urban
Allegation against victim: being a witness to the murder of Henry Andrews

Coroner process
Coroner/inquest: yes
Finding of no legal responsibility: yes

Criminal process
Arrest: [ ]
Charge/indictment/information: [ ]
Grand jury: [ ]
Trial: [ ]
Conviction: [ ]
Sentence: [ ]

FBI case ID:

Charlotte 44-80

DOJ case ID:

144-54-9


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
census records - closed
death certificates - closed
federal agency records
military documents - closed
news articles - closed
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