Clay County Sheriff's Office

10/21/2026

On 10/19/26 around 4:00 PM Clay County Sheriff Mark Buchanan and Chief Deputy Tyler Faggard noted a white Dodge pickup truck pulling a car hauler trailer that was loaded with another vehicle. This truck was traveling east on Old Hwy 64 in Brasstown. Chief Deputy Faggard noted the driver to be Samuel Jason Murrin, 46 years of age from Murphy. Chief Deputy Faggard was aware that Murrin had a suspended driver’s license.

The truck driven by Murrin stopped at a wide spot on the shoulder of the road near 10456 Old Hwy 64. Chief Deputy Faggard and Sheriff Buchanan immediately pulled in behind the truck and activated their vehicle’s emergency lights. Murrin and his son, who was a passenger in the truck, immediately got out and walked toward the front of the truck.

Chief Deputy Faggard approached Murrin and told him why he was being stopped. Murrin was noted to be pacing back and forth and putting his hands in and out of his pockets creating a safety concern. When asked, Murrin said he had a pocketknife in his pocket. During a subsequent safety frisk, a pocketknife and a pipe used to ingest methamphetamine were recovered from Murrin’s person.

Based on the discovery of the pipe, probable cause existed to conduct a more detailed search of Murrin’s person. During a further search of Murrin, Chief Deputy Faggard
found a cigarette pack that contained a small plastic baggy containing a crystal-like substance suspected to be methamphetamine.

Clay County Lt. Brandon Coker and N.C. Trooper Wilson arrived at the scene to provide assistance. Lt. Coker assumed investigative responsibilities concerning the methamphetamine and pipe that were recovered. Trooper Wilson issued citations relating to Murrin’s operation of his truck on the roadway.

Murrin was arrested and charged with felony Possession of Methamphetamine, felony Maintaining a Vehicle for Drugs, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Once to the Clay County Detention Center, Magistrate Michael Anderson issued Murrin a $25,000 secured bond for his release.

10/20/2026

On 10/14/26 at 3:46 PM Clay County Officer Drew Judge was dispatched to a report of a red truck with a ladder rack driving in a careless and reckless manner on Redbird Drive in the eastern portion of Clay County. Upon Officer Judge’s arrival, he found a maroon Explorer Sport Trac truck stationary with a male outside talking with the occupants.

Officer Judge found the driver of the truck to be Christopher Cody Wiggins, 27 years of age from Young Harris, GA. A passenger was noted to also be in the truck but not involved with what followed.

Clay County 911 Dispatch advised Office Judge that Wiggins was wanted out of Georgia for a probation violation. At this point Officer Judge ordered Wiggins to put the truck in park and get out. Instead of complying, Wiggins sped off with Officer Judge in pursuit.

Wiggins sped up Thumping Creek and eventually drove through a curve and into an embankment. Both occupants got out of the truck as ordered by Officer Judge. Clay County Sgt Sean Stout soon arrived to assist Officer Judge with Wiggins’ arrest.

Wiggins was charged with Flee to Elude Arrest With A Motor Vehicle, Driving A Vehicle Left Of Center, Unsafe Tires, and being a wanted fugitive out of Georgia. Wiggins was transported to the Clay County Detention Center and given a $30,000 secured bond for his release.

10/20/2026

On 09/30/26 at 12:09 PM, Clay County Lt. Brandon Coker saw a 2013 Ford Edge traveling east on US Highway 64 in Hayesville. Lt. Coker noted Hailey Raeann Akins, 28 years of age from Hayesville, driving the vehicle. Lt. Coker was aware that Akins had no valid driver’s license and stopped her near the Dollar General Store at 36 Highway 64 Business in Hayesville.

Clay County Officer Drew Judge quickly arrived to assist Lt. Coker with this traffic stop. A search of the Ford Edge was consented to by Akins and yielded a small quantity of Hydrocodone Bitartrate and a metal straw used to ingest into the body illegal substances.

Akins was charged with Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance, felony Maintaining a Vehicle for Drugs, and Operating a Vehicle Without a Valid License. She was given a $10,000 secured bond for her release.

10/19/2026

SCAM ALERT – PLEASE BE AWARE

The Clay County Sheriff's Office has received several calls today from concerned citizens reporting a phone scam.

According to these reports, a male caller is impersonating law enforcement and telling individuals they are required to participate in a Zoom meeting with a judge and make a payment.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: THIS IS A SCAM!

The Clay County Sheriff's Office will NEVER call you demanding money or instructing you to make a payment to avoid legal consequences.

These scammers can be very convincing and may use the names of actual law enforcement officers to make their calls appear legitimate.

If you receive one of these calls, DO NOT provide any personal or financial information, DO NOT send money, and hang up immediately.

We encourage everyone to share this information, especially with elderly family members and neighbors who may be more vulnerable to these scams.

Please help us spread the word and keep our community safe!

10/16/2026

CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF MARK BUCHANAN OFFERS REMINDERS FOR A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Buchanan want to wish you a happy Halloween! While you are planning your spooky celebrations, trick-or-treating outings and other festive activities, Sheriff Buchanan asks that you keep in mind these tips to help you and your family stay safe this Halloween!

Before you plan your trick-or-treating route, take a moment to check your local s*x offender registry at https://s*xoffender.ncsbi.gov/. At this webpage, you can view a map of registered s*x offenders’ addresses in your area and set up an alert that will notify you if a s*x offender moves to your area.

After you have your treat-seeking route all planned out, follow these simple tips to keep your little candy collectors safe:

• Inspect all candies before consuming them. Some manufacturers of potentially dangerous and intoxicating h**p products design their packaging to look just like regular candy.
• Always make sure there is a trusted adult present with younger children while trick-or-treating.
• Make sure kids who are old enough to set out on their own know to remain in familiar areas.
• Choose a costume with bright colors or add reflective tape so children can be seen at night!
• Choose costumes and masks that fit properly and do not obstruct vision or movement.
• Do not accept homemade treats!
• Only approach homes that are brightly lit.
Unfortunately, Halloween is one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, so if you plan to be driving around your neighborhood amongst the trick-or-treaters, make sure to remain vigilant to prevent unnecessary tragedy. When driving on Halloween, remember:

• Make sure your headlights are on.
• Take an extra look at crosswalks and intersections for groups of trick-or-treaters crossing the road.
• Drive slowly through residential areas, even if you do not see any trick-or-treaters.
• Watch for children who may dart into the street.
• Do not text and drive. It is against the law in North Carolina.
• Do not wear costumes while driving that may obstruct your vision or make it difficult for you to react quickly behind the wheel.
If you plan to stay inside and hand out candy rather than joining the ghouls and goblins in your neighborhood, you can still help keep little ones safe:

• Keep your porch and driveway clear of any tripping hazards.
• Make sure your porch is well lit for trick-or-treaters.
• Only hand out unopened, pre-packaged candy and treats – bonus points for full-sized candy bars!
• Avoid potential fire-related accidents by using battery operated candles or glow sticks in your jack-o-lanterns and other décor.
• Make sure all pets are contained when you open your door.
Sheriff Buchanan is excited to join in on the festivities this year. “This Halloween doesn’t have to be scary – unless of course you want it to be! But let’s keep the scary fun! Be considerate of members of your community and work together to keep little ones safe while they collect their treats and enjoy this frightfully fantastic holiday!”

Be safe, and on behalf of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Happy Halloween!

10/16/2026

On 10/13/26 around 4:25 PM, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a neighborhood disturbance. The disturbance was reportedly being caused by Marke Jama Holland, a convicted felon, who was shooting a fi***rm at his residence located at 9 Bigrock Drive in Hayesville.

Preliminary research by Clay County Lieutenant Bruce Moore, indicated that Holland was convicted of Assault Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury in 2008. NC Probation Officer Michelle Miles was called due to having Holland assigned to her supervision and subject to warrantless search provisions.

Officer Miles along with Clay County Investigator JJ Wooten, Sgt. Will Suggs, Sgt. Corey Scroggs, Officer Donovan Burke, and Officer Nate Rogers all traveled to Holland’s residence and told him of the complaint. A search of the residence commenced.

A G***k 45 caliber pistol and a KelTec 22 caliber pistol were seized from a safe within a closet in the residence. An American Tactical Bulldog 20 gauge sh***un was found under a bed. Also recovered during this phase of search activities were items of drug paraphernalia and suspected ma*****na.

At this point the scope of this search was reached, and Holland was arrested for felony Possession of a Fi***rm by Felon. All search activities were ceased, and Holland’s residence was secured while a search warrant was applied for.

Investigator Wooten traveled to the Magistrate’s Office, received a search warrant, and returned to the residence. A further search of the residence yielded a while powdery substance in a pill bottle, a set of scales, plastic baggies, a pill crusher, and a pill bottle containing 10 blue pills.

In addition to the Possession of a Fi***rm by Felon charge, Holland was charged with felony Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver Co***ne, felony Maintaining a Dwelling for Drugs, Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Holland was issued no bond for his release from the Clay County Detention Center.

10/16/2026

On 10/13/26 at 12:10 PM Clay County Lieutenant. Brandon Coker stopped a Chevrolet Avalanche at 8620 US Highway 64 east in Hayesville for excessive speeding. Dwight Jack Wilemon, 61 years of age from Marble, was found to be driving the vehicle.

Lt. Coker found Wilemon’s driver’s license to be suspended and that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest from Union County, GA. The warrant was for a probation violation from a methamphetamine related conviction. During this traffic stop, Cherokee County Narcotics Investigator Parker Southard arrived to assist Lieutenant Coker.

A search of the vehicle yielded a crushed cigarette pack from the front passenger floorboard. The cigarette pack contained a small baggy containing suspected methamphetamine and a red straw, commonly used to ingest illegal substances.

Wilemon was arrested and charged with felony Possession of Methamphetamine, felony Maintaining a Vehicle for Drugs, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While License Revoked, and Speeding. Wilemon was transported to the Clay County Detention Center and held under a $20,000 secured bond.

10/16/2026

10/12/2026

Clay County’s “Lieutenant Andy Lunquist Training Facility” continues to improve beyond our expectations from just a few years ago. This facility provides outdoor training opportunities for all first responder agencies in Clay County. These include Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Rescue, Emergency Management, Community Paramedics, and the Sheriff’s Office.

Our Clay County Commissioners graciously donated this land for training during former Sheriff Bobby Deese’s administration. Improvements over the years have been made without any taxpayer funds. Improvements were made possible from generous donations from businesses & individuals, volunteers, Inmate labor, and drug seizure/forfeiture funds.

In previous Facebook posts over the years, we have given credit to the many businesses and individuals who donated time, material, and funding to make this facility a reality. Over the past year, however, we have made some significant improvements to the facility including relocating & greatly expanding the main pavilion.

This time around want to thank Clay County Maintenance Director Shane Riley for allowing his guys, David Smith and Tim Cable, to wire the main pavilion with outlets, fans, and lighting. David and Tim did a fantastic job, and we appreciated them very much. We would also like to thank Commissioner Randy Nichols, of Nichols Construction, for donating a tandem dump truck load of gravel for the pavilion flooring and parking area!