Arsenio Dewayne Curtis, 32, of Hickory, will spend the remainder of his life in prison after a Catawba County jury found him guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of a Claremont couple that occurred more than five years ago.
Curtis was given two consecutive life sentences without parole by the Honorable William T. Pomeroy, Superior Court Judge from Lincoln County, on Friday, October 29, 2021, at the end of a week-long trial in Catawba County Superior Court.
The defendant will spend his period of incarceration in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections.
Curtis was found guilty of his role in the March 12, 2016, home invasion and shooting deaths of 34-year-old Mark Anthony Wilson and 39-year-old Deidra LaCarol Ramseur at the couple’s home on Rest Home Road in Claremont.
Curtis also was found guilty of first-degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. Judge Pomeroy handed down a sentence of nine to 12 years for those crimes that will be served consecutively to his life sentences.
“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families of Deidre Ramseur, Mark Wilson and all those affected by this tragedy,” District Attorney Scott Reilly said. “I want to thank the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for working so hard, diligently and professionally in investigating these cases. Our partnership with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is instrumental to our commitment of making our communities as safe as they possibly can be.”
The jury returned its verdict Friday afternoon following about an hour of deliberation. The trial started on October 25 with jury selection and proceeded with opening statements and evidence presentation, before closing arguments Friday morning.
The State presented evidence that Curtis was present when Jordan Alexander Rivera planned the robbery of Wilson and Ramseur, and showed that Curtis and three other co-defendants went to a rural area of the county in the early hours of the morning.
Upon arrival, Curtis and two others made their way into the home and killed the couple, for approximately $1,200 and about 30 grams of marijuana. He then helped dispose of the guns used in the robbery and murders.
Curtis is the last of five co-defendants to be convicted and sentenced in the deaths of Wilson and Ramseur. Devin Maurice Ussery, William Crawford Powell Jr., Reand Pablo-Antonio Rivera and Jordan Alexander Rivera all are serving sentences in DAC custody.
“My office has worked closely with our District Attorney’s Office as we’ve strived together to bring evidence to court that would allow justice to take its course. Today, that justice has been fully served,” Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown said. “All five defendants responsible for these horrible crimes are imprisoned, two of them for the rest of their lives. I extend my gratitude to every officer, deputy and agent who contributed to this investigation.
“There is certainly no legal outcome that will fully heal the grief felt by the families. It is my hope that these verdicts bring them some comfort. Our hearts will always be with the Wilson and Ramseur families and with everyone affected by this tragedy.”
The murder case was investigated by the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant District Attorneys Lance Sigmon and Nancy Lee handled prosecution for the State.
CONTACT: Nathan Key
Phone: 828-695-6193
Email: Nathan.D.Key@nccourts.org