Lance Martin Herald Senior Staff Writer

Advertisement

HALIFAX - A Roanoke Rapids man indicted on 21 charges stemming from a September home invasion is on the Halifax County District Court docket this week.

Originally slated to appear Aug. 21, Wayne Ray Cabiness has been placed on the court add-on trial calendar for this week.

District Attorney Bill Graham said it's not likely the trial will begin but motions and plea offers could be made in the case. Cabiness will also appear in court on Aug. 21.

These administrative sessions are some of the first steps in the judicial process after grand jury indictments. During these sessions, the district attorney's office will make a plea offer. If a plea is accepted, the plea goes before a judge in court. If it is not accepted, a trial is scheduled.

Cabiness, 41 at the time, was indicted on one count of first-degree kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon, felony breaking and entering and eight counts of misdemeanor larceny. He was indicted on a count each of fraudulent disposal of mortgage property, obtaining property by false pretense, injury to real property and misdemeanor conspiracy.

The grand jury also indicted him on one count of breaking and entering, one count of breaking, entering and larceny, two counts of injury to real property, one count of safecracking and one count of being an habitual felon.

The counts stem from the home invasion and crimes he allegedly committed up to the September incident.

Cabiness was on the run for more than a week following the Sept. 19 home invasion, in which he entered a residence on Hawkins Drive after asking an elderly woman who lived there about doing yard work.

Once inside, investigators say he took out a pair of scissors and demanded money. The woman was tied with clothes but was able to free herself after he left. She went next door to call for help.

Cabiness and his girlfriend Melissa Ann Hill were captured Oct. 1 in Hickory. Hill was indicted on five counts of misdemeanor larceny and three counts of accessory after the fact. She was also indicted on one count of safecracking.

A friend of Cabiness, Gary Robert Mori II, whom Cabiness did time with in prison, was indicted on one count each of misdemeanor larceny, filing a false report to the police station, obtaining property by false pretense, misdemeanor conspiracy and fraudulent disposal of mortgage property.

In addition to those counts, Mori was indicted on one count of breaking and entering, two counts of injury to real property, one count of breaking, entering and larceny and one count of safecracking.

Investigators said the trio reportedly stole approximately $4,753 worth of goods from Sept. 8 to Sept. 17, two days before the home invasion.

Investigation also uncovered an alleged staged break-in and larceny at Mori's residence to cover up for the three allegedly disposing of property Mori rented.