North Carolina

What happened to three U.S. marines found dead in North Carolina?

Published

1 year ago

July 27, 2023

What happened to three U.S. marines found dead in North Carolina?

Autopsies performed on three U.S. marines found dead in a parked car at a North Carolina gas station have found the trio died from carbon monoxide poisoning, Pender County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Wednesday.

On Sunday morning, Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19, Merax C. Dockery, 23, Ivan R. Garcia, 23, all Marine Corps lance corporals, were found dead inside a vehicle at a Speedway convenience store along a highway in Hampstead, North Carolina. The three men were based at Camp Lejeune, 29 miles from the gas station where they were found, the Marine Corps said.

A missing person’s report was filed prior to the discovery of the bodies, with a woman calling the sheriff’s office saying her son had failed to show up for a flight in Oklahoma the night before. The office said: “The caller indicated that she had spoken with a supervisor in his unit and that someone was en route to the location to see if they could locate the missing person.”

According to Sgt. Chester Ward, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, the woman was able to direct police to the gas station after pinging her son’s phone to determine its location.

At 9:03 a.m. a second call indicated the missing person had been located along with two others at the Speedway gas station, Pender County Sheriff’s office confirmed in a press release.

Sheriff Alan Cutler said in a statement: “I am saddened by the timeless and tragic death of these three young men, who served our country honorably. Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families and colleagues during this time.”

Ward told USA Today he did not know how long the car had been parked at the gas station before its discovery. He also confirmed authorities were unaware of where the marines were traveling to.

Newsweek has contacted the Pender County Sheriff’s Office for further information regarding the deaths.

Who Were the Marines Found Dead in South Carolina?

Merax C. Dockery

Marine Corps Lance Corporal Merax C. Dockery.
Marine Corps

Merax C. Dockery was the youngest of five siblings and was raised in Seminole, Oklahoma. He graduated from Seminole High School in 2019. In June 2020 he entered active-duty, according to the U.S Marine Corps, having previously been based in the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, the School of Infantry-West at Camp Pendleton in California and at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.

He was the recipient of several military awards, including the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal and the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Bob Gragg, Superintendent of Seminole Public Schools, said in a statement: “Our condolences and prayers are extended to his family and friends.”

Dockery’s mother, Heather Glass, confirmed to the Associated Press that she and another relative drove to Oklahoma airport on Saturday evening to collect her son, who was due to fly home for his grandfather’s funeral.

Regarding the circumstances of her son’s death, she told AP: “I feel at peace because I know he was asleep when he passed.”

“He was just a kind soul,” Glass continued. “He was liked by everybody. He was a real good kid.”

Micah Dockery, who describes Merax C. Dockery as her “baby brother,” wrote on Facebook: “I don’t feel like this is real, it can’t be. I love you MerMan.”

Another sister, Faith Dockery, said on Facebook that losing her brother was “such a crazy thing” and that the loss “still feels like a bad dream.”

Tanner J. Kaltenberg

Tanner J. Kaltenberg, from Madison, Wisconsin, attended Verona Area High, according to his Facebook page, while reports from WITN show he was an active baseball player.

According to the U.S. Marine Corps he began active-duty service in 2021. Prior to his time at Camp Lejeune, like Dockery, he was based in San Diego at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and in Missouri at Fort Leonard Wood.

During his service he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Medal, the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.

According to his Facebook profile, he had recently been deployed to Norway and Sweden, where he said he had taken part in the “the longest convoy in marine corps history across borders.”

Ivan R. Garcia

Ivan R. Garcia graduated from Lely High School in Naples, Florida, in 2019, and entered active-duty service in July 2019, according to the U.S. Marine Corps, making him the longest-serving member of the three.

Chad Oliver, spokesperson for the school district where Garcia was educated, told USA Today: “It is a sad day anytime one of our Collier County Public Schools alumni passes away, especially at such a young age.”

Like Kaltenberg and Dockery, he was based in San Diego at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and at Fort Leonard Wood before being moved to Camp Lejeune. His military awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and Global War on Terror Service Medal.

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North Carolina

Tropical weather update for Wilmington: What we can expect and when

Published

3 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

Tropical weather update for Wilmington: What we can expect and when

The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor a tropical depression over Cuba. It’s expected to become a tropical storm later Saturday, bringing impacts to the Carolinas around the middle of next week.

Heavy rainfall and flooding are the primary impacts expected, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

“Gusty winds are also possible, but it is too early to predict specific impacts in great detail at this time,” the weather service said.

At the same time, there is the potential for heavy rainfall and some flooding associated with front expected to stall inland this weekend.

As of 11 a.m. Saturday, the center of the tropical depression, which would be name Debby if it becomes a tropical storm, was over Cuba and moving west-northwest near 15 mph. The hurricane center said a turn toward the northwest is forecast for Saturday, followed by a northward motion on Sunday and then a slower northeastwardmotion Sunday night and Monday.

Maximum sustained winds were near 35 mph. Slow strengthening is expected throughout the day Saturday. Faster strengthening is possible Sunday, with the storm nearing hurricane strength when it reaches the Florida Gulf Coast, the hurricane center said.

STORM TRACKER: Monitor the latest tropical developments here.

Here’s a look at what we can expect in the Wilmington area, according to the latest briefing from the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

Wind

The probability of tropical storm force winds has increased, especially for the South Carolina coast. The most likely time of arrival of for northeast South Carolina is Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, and for Southeastern North Carolina is during Wednesday morning.

Rain

The potential for significant rainfall exists with 8 to 12 inches possible from near Cape Fear to portions of thenortheast South Carolina coast. Flash flooding and urban flooding are possible. Some rivers, including the North Cape Fear River and the Waccamaw River, could exceed flood stage next week.

INTERACTIVE MAP: Enter your address to see hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed nearby

Marine impacts

Rough surf, including dangerous rip currents, and hazardous marine conditions are expected this weekend and will persist into the upcoming week.

Are you prepared for a hurricane?

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Even if this system won’t pose a threat to the NC coast, it’s never too early to be prepared.

GET READY: Are you prepared for a hurricane? Here’s what to know if you live in the Wilmington area.

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North Carolina

Tropical Depression Four forms on its way to the Gulf of Mexico

Published

10 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

Tropical Depression Four forms on its way to the Gulf of Mexico

As of the 5 AM update Friday, Tropical Depression Four has formed. Areas along the East Coast including North Carolina need to continue monitoring this system. Winds are at 30 MPH and gusts are up to 40 MPH. The pressure dropped to 1009 mb and is moving to the west at 16 mph. TD 4 is expected to become Tropical Storm Debby over the weekend. Tuesday night and Wednesday are First Alert Weather Days due to the threat to ENC from this system but we may need to adjust the timing as we get closer.

The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center continues to show ENC in the cone of uncertainty.(WITN)

It’ll move slowly before escaping to the north next week. As it moves up the East Coast, there’s a lot more uncertainty about the track and threats. We expect the track of this system to change through the weekend and even into next week. If ENC sees impacts from this system, they’d likely come mid-week. The longer this system stays over land, the weaker it’ll be. It’ll have the chance to strengthen if it moves back over open water, especially if it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.

Storms are possible Saturday through Monday as a developing tropical system gets closer.(WITN)

The speed of this system is just as important as the strength. The quicker it moves through, the less rain piles up. If it slows down or stalls, higher rainfall amounts would be expected. Our river levels have dropped a bit since July’s wet weather, but levels are still higher than what you’d find in a typical August.

What We Know, What We Don't — What We Know, What We Don’t(WITN)

This is a reminder that we are heading into the heart of the hurricane season and to make sure your emergency supplies are ready.

Stay with WITN and WITN.com as we continue to track this system over the coming days and monitor the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.

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North Carolina

Alabama man on work trip stops to buy $3 quick pick Powerball ticket, wins 6-figure jackpot

Published

17 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

Alabama man on work trip stops to buy quick pick Powerball ticket, wins 6-figure jackpot

Christopher Baker of Leesburg, Alabama was on a work trip in Hickory, North Carolina, when he thought he’d try his luck on a lotto game. It turned out to be a lucrative Powerball win.

An Alabama man on a work trip in North Carolina bought a $3 Quick Pick Powerball ticket on a whim and walked away with a six-figure windfall.

Christopher Baker of Leesburg in northeastern Alabama bought his lucky ticket in July in Hickory, North Carolina, where had been traveling for work, according to Powerball.

When the numbers were drawn, Baker says he had to do a double-take when he realized he had a $100,000 winning ticket. He had matched four white balls and the red Powerball, which would have been $50,000, but a 2X multiplier doubled the win and the disbelief.

“I just kept looking at it to make sure I was reading it right,” he laughed, according to Powerball. “I told my family but they didn’t believe me. either.”

Baker, who called his win “a shocker.” said he plans to save his winnings to buy a house.

Baker will take home $71,501 after federal and state taxes are withheld.

How to play the Powerball

In order to purchase a $2 Powerball ticket, you’ll have to visit your local convenience store, gas station or grocery store − and in a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online.

To play, you will need to pick six numbers in total to mark on your ticket. Five numbers will be white balls ranging from numbers 1 to 69. The Powerball is red and one number which is between 1 and 26.

If you want to increase your chances of winning, you can add a “Power Play” for $1 which increases the winnings for all non-jackpot prizes. This addition can multiply winnings by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X.

Players can also ask a cashier for a “Quick Pick” where a cashier will give you a computer generated numbers on a printed Powerball ticket.

Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If there’s no jackpot winner, the cash prize will increase by millions.

Where to purchase tickets

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.

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