Bakersville man being held for murder

A man was arrested less than an hour after he shot and killed his neighbor in an ongoing dispute, the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office said.

[lee]

Alcohol????? Naaaaaaah. Ain't no alcohol sold in Mitchell county.So there's NO way he could have gotten alcohol in a proud dry place like that.

[mountain man]

i wonder if the fda has anything to do with this kind of behavior

[Georges Fork Resident]

The suspect is from Yancey County, and that is where his mother and step-father live. I wonder if he had not quit high school if it would have made a difference?

[breed]

I live in Mitchell co., its probably the safest place to live in the USA.I really feel sympathy for the famalies involved.

[disgusted citizen]

Junior Harrell was loved and cared by so very many people. I pray his new wife and baby will be able to eventually move forward and life life to its fullest. I pray for his parents and the rest of his family and friends that he will be remembered for the good times and joy he brought to their lives.
As for all the rest...it really doesn't matter. A man filled with evil - be it with his every breath or a few moments in time - stole the future of not one man but two. Jr's son has had his future stripped from him before it ever began.
It is all disgusting to me. Unfortunately, millions of people drink &/or do drugs each day without killing people. Millions of people have cruddy childhoods. It's not an excuse for what is in the heart. The confessed killer did an evil thing.

[citizen of bakersville]

why is it always being blamed on drugs or quiting school.his children are just as inocent as the victims child.everyone is going to suffer not just one family.it dont give him the right to do what he did but dont go blamin till you know the truth.i will keep both families in prayer no one deserves the pain everyone is going through.

[Holly Whitson]

To all that knew Shane! He is a loving husband and father of 2 two children and a great friend to all he knew.His children loves him more than anything in this world.If you knew the whole truth insteed of rumors it still would not bring junior back but it would make you think again. He refered to him as his brother. we are not only missing and greiving for Shane But for junior.My kids loved him and miss him he was @the house all the time. How do u think I feel That i cant Take my kids back home not only because their dad is not there but because juniors things are there. We love him and his wife and son very much as he did us. Please Just Pray for us all and dont judge or gossip it just makes things harder for both Families. JUST PRAY PLEASE

[Vicki Garland]

Yes i am family on both sides ! I cant belive how GOSSIP is going around. I knew all the involed parties and i just pray that god can help both sides.We should not judge because we dont know what may be comeing our way. We dont have the promise of the next day. Only god knows what went on there that nite and i think we should just pray for both sides and hope that it turns out in a way that will teach each and every one of us to live and love each other because god made us all !! I just no that shane did not do this he is not that kind of a person it is a accident ! Shane was a great dad and loved his kids and wife. Please think before we open our mouths about the three little children involed. And know that both sides of our familes are hurting.

[Tiger]

lee wrote:

Alcohol????? Naaaaaaah. Ain't no alcohol sold in Mitchell county.So there's NO way he could have gotten alcohol in a proud dry place like that.

wanna bet ? grassy creek golf course in spruce pine will sell you case after case, bottle after bottle... legally...

[Linda King]

Holly Whitson wrote:

To all that knew Shane! He is a loving husband and father of 2 two children and a great friend to all he knew.His children loves him more than anything in this world.If you knew the whole truth insteed of rumors it still would not bring junior back but it would make you think again. He refered to him as his brother. we are not only missing and greiving for Shane But for junior.My kids loved him and miss him he was @the house all the time. How do u think I feel That i cant Take my kids back home not only because their dad is not there but because juniors things are there. We love him and his wife and son very much as he did us. Please Just Pray for us all and dont judge or gossip it just makes things harder for both Families. JUST PRAY PLEASE

My heart and my prayers are with you all. May God's love and light comfort and bless you all.

[MurphyMobile]

Is it really worth killing your neighbor over
some dispute that will put you in prison for a long time?

Do the crime and you do the time.

"“Whitson professed to be very good friends with Harrell,” he said."

He WAS good friends. Not anymore.

[jesse]

ANGIE SIMMONS BANNER ELK wrote:

THIS IS TO ALL OF YOU WHO KNEW SHANE, AND TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ONLY THOUGHT YOU DID. I HAVE KNOWN SHANE & HIS FAMILY FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE FRIENDS AND SHANE WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK. SHANE WAS RAISED BY HIS MAM MAW & PAW PAW OR AS SHANE CALLED HIS PAW PAW (DADDY) BECAUSE SHANE LOOKED UP TO HIM AS A DADDY AND THERE WERE NOT ANY BETTER PEOPLE ANYWHERE THAN THESE TWO THAT RAISED SHANE. KNOWING SHANE THE WAY I DID THERE IS NO WAY HE WOULD HAVE EVER INTENTIONALLY KILLED HIS FRIEND JUNIOR, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKING THE CHANCE OF POSSIBLY SHOOTING HIS OWN WIFE OR JUNIOR'S WIFE WHO WERE BOTH PRESENT DURING THIS MISUNDERSTANDING AND THERE IS JUST NO WAY SHANE WOULD HAVE TOOK THAT CHANCE, HE IS SUCH A LOVING & CARING FRIEND, HUSBAND & FATHER, SO I AM ASKING ALL OF YOU OUT THERE THAT ARE JUST SPREADING GOSSIP & HEARSAY TO PLEASE STOP BECAUSE IT IS NOT OUR PLACE TO JUDGE FOR WE WERE NOT THERE AND IF FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT FOR THE KIDS SAKE PLEASE STOP WITH THE GOSSIP BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HOW CRUEL KIDS CAN BE IN SCHOOL AND SHANE'S FAMILY IS ALREADY GREIVING SO MUCH NOT JUST BECAUSE SHANE'S KIDS ARE ASKING WHY THEIR DADDY CAN'T COME HOME TO BE WITH THEM BUT SHANE'S FAMILY IS ALSO MISSING JUNIOR & GREIVING FOR HIS FAMILY. THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO BRING JUNIOR BACK BUT JUNIOR'S FAMILY LIVES ON AND I JUST PRAY THAT BOTH FAMILIES WILL TURN TO GOD THROUGH THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, FOR THE LORD WILL BE THERE FOR THEM IF THEY WILL JUST CALL ON HIM HE WILL BE THEIR STRENGTH & COMFORT. I JUST PRAY THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE VIOLENCE AND THAT IN TIME FORGIVENESS CAN COME. I HAVE BEEN WITH HOLLY (SHANE'S WIFE) EVERY DAY SINCE THIS HAPPENED & TO SEE WHAT SHE AND HER CHILDREN ARE GOING THROUGH BREAKS MY HEART AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT JUNIOR'S FAMILY IS GOING THROUGH, SO I ASK ONCE AGAIN PEOPLE PLEASE GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY FOR THESE FAMILIES THAT THE LORD WILL GIVE THEM STRENGTH & COMFORT DURING THIS TIME OF NEED AND PLEASE PLEASE REMEMBER THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT AN AWFUL AWFUL ACCIDENT AND KNOWING SHANE IF HE COULD GO BACK HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT BULLET HIM SELF RATHER THAN LET ANY ONE THAT WAS PRESENT THAT NIGHT BE HARMED. WE NEVER KNOW WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING THROUGH SO PLEASE REMEMBER THESE FAMILIES IN YOUR PRAYERS. SHANE'S FAMILY IS LIVING IN TORTURE RIGHT NOW & WILL FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES AND THAT ALONE IS PUNISHMENT ENOUGH. I WAS ALWAYS RAISED TO BELEIVE THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT QUESTION WHY THINGS HAPPEN LIKE THEY DO AND SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY DURING SUCH AN AWFUL TIME LIKE THIS IT IS SO VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY BUT WE JUST NEED TO BELEIVE THAT SOMETHING GOOD SOMEHOW MAY COME OUT OF THIS. I DO KNOW THAT THE FIRST THING SHANE ASKED FOR WAS HIS BIBLE WHEN SOMEONE COULD COME AND SEE HIM AND THAT TOUCHED MY HEART SO MUCH, SO MAYBE THAT IS A START IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE I KNOW SHANE & HE HAS A GOOD HEART AND I KNOW HE IS SO VERY VERY SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND I KNOW HE WOULD TAKE IT BACK IF HE ONLY COULD.
MY PRAYERS & THOUGHTS ARE WITH BOTH FAMILIES-
PLEASE TRY TO FORGIVE AND KNOW THAT SHANE DID NOT MEAN TO DO THIS.

gosh i wish there are no misunderstandings at my home.

[ANGIE SIMMONS BANNER ELK]

jesse wrote:

<quoted text>gosh i wish there are no misunderstandings at my home.

THIS IS NOT EVEN WORTHY OF REPLYING TO!

[Darker]

I am sorry but these two were best friends and I didnt see any reason to kill a man. But it was no accident. A boy is dead now and a man is guilty. I feel sorry for both families though.

[Darker]

Holly Whitson wrote:

To all that knew Shane! He is a loving husband and father of 2 two children and a great friend to all he knew.His children loves him more than anything in this world.If you knew the whole truth insteed of rumors it still would not bring junior back but it would make you think again. He refered to him as his brother. we are not only missing and greiving for Shane But for junior.My kids loved him and miss him he was @the house all the time. How do u think I feel That i cant Take my kids back home not only because their dad is not there but because juniors things are there. We love him and his wife and son very much as he did us. Please Just Pray for us all and dont judge or gossip it just makes things harder for both Families. JUST PRAY PLEASE

shane is a good friend and i will pray but i feel sorry for shane

[dakboy]

please pray for both families.

[darker]

ANGIE SIMMONS BANNER ELK wrote:

THIS IS TO ALL OF YOU WHO KNEW SHANE, AND TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ONLY THOUGHT YOU DID. I HAVE KNOWN SHANE & HIS FAMILY FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE FRIENDS AND SHANE WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK. SHANE WAS RAISED BY HIS MAM MAW & PAW PAW OR AS SHANE CALLED HIS PAW PAW (DADDY) BECAUSE SHANE LOOKED UP TO HIM AS A DADDY AND THERE WERE NOT ANY BETTER PEOPLE ANYWHERE THAN THESE TWO THAT RAISED SHANE. KNOWING SHANE THE WAY I DID THERE IS NO WAY HE WOULD HAVE EVER INTENTIONALLY KILLED HIS FRIEND JUNIOR, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKING THE CHANCE OF POSSIBLY SHOOTING HIS OWN WIFE OR JUNIOR'S WIFE WHO WERE BOTH PRESENT DURING THIS MISUNDERSTANDING AND THERE IS JUST NO WAY SHANE WOULD HAVE TOOK THAT CHANCE, HE IS SUCH A LOVING & CARING FRIEND, HUSBAND & FATHER, SO I AM ASKING ALL OF YOU OUT THERE THAT ARE JUST SPREADING GOSSIP & HEARSAY TO PLEASE STOP BECAUSE IT IS NOT OUR PLACE TO JUDGE FOR WE WERE NOT THERE AND IF FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT FOR THE KIDS SAKE PLEASE STOP WITH THE GOSSIP BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HOW CRUEL KIDS CAN BE IN SCHOOL AND SHANE'S FAMILY IS ALREADY GREIVING SO MUCH NOT JUST BECAUSE SHANE'S KIDS ARE ASKING WHY THEIR DADDY CAN'T COME HOME TO BE WITH THEM BUT SHANE'S FAMILY IS ALSO MISSING JUNIOR & GREIVING FOR HIS FAMILY. THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO BRING JUNIOR BACK BUT JUNIOR'S FAMILY LIVES ON AND I JUST PRAY THAT BOTH FAMILIES WILL TURN TO GOD THROUGH THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, FOR THE LORD WILL BE THERE FOR THEM IF THEY WILL JUST CALL ON HIM HE WILL BE THEIR STRENGTH & COMFORT. I JUST PRAY THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE VIOLENCE AND THAT IN TIME FORGIVENESS CAN COME. I HAVE BEEN WITH HOLLY (SHANE'S WIFE) EVERY DAY SINCE THIS HAPPENED & TO SEE WHAT SHE AND HER CHILDREN ARE GOING THROUGH BREAKS MY HEART AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT JUNIOR'S FAMILY IS GOING THROUGH, SO I ASK ONCE AGAIN PEOPLE PLEASE GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY FOR THESE FAMILIES THAT THE LORD WILL GIVE THEM STRENGTH & COMFORT DURING THIS TIME OF NEED AND PLEASE PLEASE REMEMBER THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT AN AWFUL AWFUL ACCIDENT AND KNOWING SHANE IF HE COULD GO BACK HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT BULLET HIM SELF RATHER THAN LET ANY ONE THAT WAS PRESENT THAT NIGHT BE HARMED. WE NEVER KNOW WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING THROUGH SO PLEASE REMEMBER THESE FAMILIES IN YOUR PRAYERS. SHANE'S FAMILY IS LIVING IN TORTURE RIGHT NOW & WILL FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES AND THAT ALONE IS PUNISHMENT ENOUGH. I WAS ALWAYS RAISED TO BELEIVE THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT QUESTION WHY THINGS HAPPEN LIKE THEY DO AND SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY DURING SUCH AN AWFUL TIME LIKE THIS IT IS SO VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY BUT WE JUST NEED TO BELEIVE THAT SOMETHING GOOD SOMEHOW MAY COME OUT OF THIS. I DO KNOW THAT THE FIRST THING SHANE ASKED FOR WAS HIS BIBLE WHEN SOMEONE COULD COME AND SEE HIM AND THAT TOUCHED MY HEART SO MUCH, SO MAYBE THAT IS A START IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE I KNOW SHANE & HE HAS A GOOD HEART AND I KNOW HE IS SO VERY VERY SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND I KNOW HE WOULD TAKE IT BACK IF HE ONLY COULD.
MY PRAYERS & THOUGHTS ARE WITH BOTH FAMILIES-
PLEASE TRY TO FORGIVE AND KNOW THAT SHANE DID NOT MEAN TO DO THIS.

The thing is he done it no matter what reason

[Mom of Shane]

darker wrote:

<quoted text> The thing is he done it no matter what reason

Were you there?

[Mom of Shane]

Georges Fork Resident wrote:

I live near where this suspect's mother and step-father does (McDowell Drive), and they have a not so healthy relationship also! I have known this guy (Kelly Shane Whitson) for years, and this really does not alarm me. He has been a ticking time bomb for his entire adult life. I can remember when he used too play with his step-father's .44 Mag. handgun when he was about 15 years old. I have also learned that the suspect has a long history of drug use! When you have drugs, guns and sex involved someone will get hurt.

You don't even know the correct address, but thanks for your concern and knowledge about it all! I'm sure you're "stable"....All I know is that everybody involved needs prayers and God to get through this and SHANE IS MY SON, AND I LOVE HIM WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL, AS DO HIS KIDS!

[Concerned Reader]

disgusted citizen wrote:

Junior Harrell was loved and cared by so very many people. I pray his new wife and baby will be able to eventually move forward and life life to its fullest. I pray for his parents and the rest of his family and friends that he will be remembered for the good times and joy he brought to their lives.
As for all the rest...it really doesn't matter. A man filled with evil - be it with his every breath or a few moments in time - stole the future of not one man but two. Jr's son has had his future stripped from him before it ever began.
It is all disgusting to me. Unfortunately, millions of people drink &/or do drugs each day without killing people. Millions of people have cruddy childhoods. It's not an excuse for what is in the heart. The confessed killer did an evil thing.

I work with a family member of the accused. I am reading these comments and just wanted to say: I know both families are hurting greatly. The accused has made a great error in judgement. If drugs and or alcohol are involved , we all know what can happen. I am sure that the accused regrets what he has done, regrets losing his friend, and having his own children removed from him. On the other hand, what he done is terribly wrong, and there will be a price to pay for it. We all can do the same things given the right circumstances. Someone hurts your child, Catch a spouse cheating, Someone breaks in your home.... We could all face the same opportunities. Let us focus on the kids taken from the parents on both sides..... We are all just a wrong move away from going to prison or being killed ourselves. It may sound extreme, but think about it !!!!!!