Alleged murderer has extensive criminal record
Published 10:08 am Thursday, June 2, 2016
AULANDER – Thurman Wiggins, who stands accused of murdering a woman here Sunday, has spent the majority of his adult life behind bars.
The 56-year-old Aulander man was arrested Monday in the death of Teffine Williams, age 29. Williams was reportedly an occasional visitor to Wiggins’ home on Main Street in Aulander.
Thurman Wiggins
Although the information has not been confirmed by this newspaper from Bertie Sheriff John Holley, other news sources are reporting that Williams died at a hospital of multiple stab wounds. Holley did not return calls placed Wednesday by this newspaper.
It was reported earlier that Bertie Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Main Street location just after 7 p.m. Sunday over what was believed to be a domestic situation.
Wiggins was scheduled to make his initial appearance yesterday (Wednesday) in Bertie County District Court.
He is no stranger to law enforcement. His most serious charge, prior to murder arrest, came in Pasquotank County where he served 14 years of a 40-year term in prison for second degree rape followed by a consecutive six and one-half year term (of a 20-year sentence) for 2nd degree sexual offense. He was released from prison on Oct. 8, 2012, according to information on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s website.
He is also listed on the NC SBI’s Sex Offender Registry.
His first run-in with Bertie County law enforcement came in 1981 at which time he served seven months for felony forgery and felony uttering a forged paper.
In 1983, Wiggins was sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by 90 days of parole for 2nd degree sexual offense in Bertie County. He served five years and one month behind bars for that crime, released June 30, 1988.
Twenty-four days later (July 23, 1988) while still on parole for the sex offense case, Wiggins was back in jail again in Bertie County, this time on the charge of felony breaking and entering. He was convicted on Jan. 31, 1989 for the B&E case and sentenced to 10 years, but only served three years and two months in jail for that crime and the parole violation.
