Man Charged In 15-Year-Old Murder Case

Guilford County, NC -- A man convicted of lying to investigators in the Short family murder case is facing new charges.The Guilford County Sheriff’s department says Fennon Timothy Sampson has been indicted on First Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder charges for the 1991 homicide of Colby Elizabeth Malone. John Malone Jr. was also indicted on the charge of Conspiracy to Commit Murder. John Malone had originally been charged by the Guilford County Sheriff's Office for the murder. He was later acquitted of the charge.Sampson is currently in the Randolph County jail awaiting trial for First Degree Murder in that county. John Malone is in a Florida jail on unrelated charges. Authorities say he'll be extradited to North Carolina.According to news release from the department, the new charges stem from interviews by the Guilford County Sheriff's Office and the State Bureau of Investigation, the review of property and evidence, and the retesting of evidence with new technological methods.Sampson is also connected to another high-profile murder case. Michael and Mary Short were found shot to death in August of 2002 in their home. Jennifer's body was found six weeks later in Rockingham County.Sampson was convicted of conspiracy to commit perjury; perjury; providing false material and information; and subornation of perjury following a two-day jury trial in US District Court in Charlottesville.Prosecutors contend Sampson and two other men lied to a grand jury about the Short investigation, as part of a conspiracy to collect reward money offered for information about the murders.