SURRY COUNTY, N.C. — UPDATE (Dec. 9): Gary Lynn White Jr. made his first court appearance Monday and was given no bond. His arrest warrant says he strangled his 14-year-old stepson, Aydan Krishaun Dodson, to death. He has also been charged with assaulting his wife.
Original story:
A stepfather is charged with first-degree murder for the death of a 14-year-old in Surry County, deputies say.
The Surry County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, has arrested 41-year-old Gary Lynn White Jr. in connection with the death of his 14-year-old stepson, Aydan Krishaun Dodson.
Authorities confirmed that Aydan died from blunt force trauma, and White now faces charges of first-degree murder. Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt described the incident as “a heinous act against a 14-year-old child.”
In addition to the murder charge, White is also accused of felony child abuse, assault on a female, and domestic assault. He was taken into custody without incident on Thursday, Dec. 5, and served with the murder charge the Friday.
White is being held without bond and is set to appear in court on December 9, 2024.
Sheriff Hiatt expressed his condolences to Aydan’s family and the Pilot Mountain Middle School community, where the teen was a student. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family during this heartbreaking time,” Hiatt said. He also praised the investigative efforts of detectives, deputies, and state agents for their work in bringing this case to justice.
This remains an active investigation, and no further details have been released at this time.
MORE WAYS TO GET WFMY NEWS 2
Download the WFMY News 2 APP from your Apple or Google Play store.
ADD THE WFMY+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or search for WFMY.
Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account.