A Hickory man will spend at least 25 years in prison following his conviction for second-degree murder in the 2016 burning death of his former girlfriend.
Glen McQuay Jr., 57, was sentenced to an active prison term of 25 to 31 years following his guilty plea during Catawba County Superior Court on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. The Honorable Nathaniel J. Poovey, Superior Court Judge from Catawba County, imposed the sentence for McQuay.
The defendant will serve his sentence in custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections.
McQuay entered the plea in connection with the June 8, 2016, death of 50-year-old Stephanie Harvey.
On that date, the victim left work around 7:30 a.m., picked up and dropped off a friend, and stopped to pick up groceries. On her way home, Harvey called a friend and later let her know she had arrived at her residence. While they were talking, the friend heard Harvey telling someone to “get off me,” followed by screaming and then silence.
The friend left her place of employment headed toward Harvey’s residence and called 911. When law enforcement arrived, they found Harvey’s charred body at the residence. The back door of her car was open and there was gasoline on the rear seat of the vehicle.
McQuay and an acquaintance had been in a vehicle at Harvey’s work place when she left, and he admitted that he had been at her residence between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m.
The person who had been with McQuay told investigators that he dropped McQuay off at the residence after taking him to fill a can with gas because the defendant told him he was going to mow Harvey’s grass.
Justin Levey investigated the case for Hickory Police Department. Assistant District Attorney Jamie Adams handled prosecution for the State.
CONTACT: Nathan Key
Phone: 828-695-6193
Email: Nathan.D.Key@nccourts.org