ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. — It's been nearly two decades, and still no arrest in the death of a store owner.
Alamance County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in solving who killed James Thomas Fogleman on Wednesday, January 23, 2002.
Around 6:41 pm that day, a customer had walked into the Fogleman's Store on South NC-49 to make a purchase. Instead, the woman found a mortally wounded and motionless Fogleman in a pool of blood.
Deputies were called to the store and they determined Mr. Fogleman was dead. Investigators ruled it a homicide.
"Over the course of the last, almost 20 years, they've been investigating it repeatedly and tracking down all the leads possible," said Detective Barbara Tomey with the Alamance County Sheriff's Office.
Tomey is the newest detective that's assigned to investigate the case all over again to leave no stone unturned in the case.
Tomey said the investigation had been an uphill battle for the various detectives who have worked on the case and remains so even now.
According to her, many loved ones and regular folks at the store during that time have gotten older or passed away. The store, which is now under new ownership is also along a highway so Tomey said the suspect may be long gone.
She also said, he or she may also be hiding in plain sight within the community and that's why detectives say they need the public's help.
"It's just really important that the community kind of place themselves in that family's shoes and if you lived there, you think you might have seen something. It's possible that you even know a minute amount of information that could be important," Tomey said.
Anyone with information about Mr. Fogleman's death is asked to call the Alamance County Sheriff's Office at 336-570-6300 and ask to speak with Detective Tomey.
"Please help bring closure to Tom Fogleman’s family," a spokesperson stated in a press release.