3 arrested for home invasion at Mocksville mayor’s parents’ home

Published 8:09 am Monday, February 1, 2021

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Allen Shane Hess

Three Davidson County men have been arrested for a home invasion last summer at the home of the parents of the Mocksville mayor.

Allen Shane Hess, 33, of Lexington, is being held in the Davidson Detention Center. He is charged by Mocksville Police with first-degree burglary and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was charged by Lexington police with conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree kidnapping. He was charged by the Rowan Sheriff’s Office with first degree burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, larceny, first-degree kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injuries. He was taken into custody in lieu of a $50,000 bond on the Mocksville charges, and $500,000 each for charges in Lexington and Rowan County.

Dwon Nicholas Still

Dwon Nicholas Still, 31, of Thomasville, had not been apprehended as of Monday morning. He will face charges in Mocksville of first-degree burglary and robbery with a dangerous weapon. Charges from Lexington will include conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon, first degree kidnapping, and second-degree kidnapping. Rowan charges will include first-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, larceny, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and first-degree kidnapping.

Alexander Dakota Ballew

Alexander Dakota Ballew, 27, of Lexington, was charged by Mocksville police with first-degree burglary and robbery with a dangerous weapon. Lexington charged him with conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree kidnapping. He was charged by Rowan with first-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, larceny, first-degree kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. He is being held in the Guilford County Jail.

Mocksville Assistant Police Chief Koula Black said that a witness came to law enforcement on Saturday identifying the suspects as those involved in the Mocksville home invasion, as well as other similar incidents in Lexington and Rowan County. Detectives from all three agencies interviewed the suspects on Sunday at the Lexington Police Department.

On the evening of Aug. 24, 2020, Johnny and Betty Marklin, parents of Mocksville Mayor Will Marklin, reported that two men forced their way into their South Main Street home after saying they were from EnergyUnited. The victims were bound with zip ties, and Mr. Marklin was assaulted while the suspects ransacked the house.

The suspects stole few items, but kept asking the victims where “the money” was, reported former Police Chief Pat Reagan. The Marklins had seen at least one of the suspects prior to the home invasion.

Investigators in Mocksville and Rowan County said the home invasions were targeted, and not random.

In Rowan, according to the Salisbury Post, the attackers knocked down and kicked a 93-year-old man, causing him to go to the hospital for treatment of cuts to his head and face. That attack was late Jan. 19 and early Jan. 20.

Rowan Sheriff’s Capt. Chad Moose told the Post that Hess appeared to be the ring leader of the group. He was arrested at a hotel in Winston-Salem.