Conviction:   First Degree Murder
DOC# 0253504
Parole Review Date:   10-07
Sentence:   LIFE
Has Served:   31 yrs 3 mths to date

 

Crime Story
On December 12, 1974 Michael Madden, William Jack Payne and Charles Bruce Keeten traveled to the Kwik Pick store located at the corner of Idlewild Road and Margaret Wallace Road in Mecklenburg County. The three individuals had been "watching" that particular store for approximately five days planning to rob it.

The victim was working as the clerk at that store where he was on his Christmas vacation from school. At approximately 11 p.m. Madden and his accomplices went  to the store with intentions of robbing it. Once there, they forced the young college man into the back freezer and tied him up.

While they were in the store a female drove into the parking lot and proceeded to get out of her vehicle. One of the three went to the door and advised her the store was closed. She left but would later be able to identify the suspect as one of the three there at the time of the robbery.

The three men took the money out of the safe and money that was in the register. Keeten and Madden went to the back again where the victim lay on the floor of the freezer and Keeten demanded to know if he had any money on him. The victim told him no. Keeten proceeded to search the victim's pockets and located a wallet that had fifty dollars and credit cards in it. Keeten became enraged that he had lied to him and asked him why he had lied. After no response from the victim, Keeten shot him in the back of the head three times and once more in his torso. The victim died on the scene.

The body of the victim was found approximately thirty minutes after the three had left .  The victim was  found by a friend who had gone to school with him and who had stopped in to get a drink at the store.

The Mecklenburg County Police Department developed Madden and the other two as suspects as a result of an informant's information and in 1976 Madden and Keeten were tried for First Degree Murder. Payne pled guilty and testified for the State. Madden and Keeten had refused to give the police a statement about the events however Payne supplied them with a full account.

A Capital Murder jury was picked for the trial, however, during the process of the trial the US Supreme Court overturned the North Carolina death penalty. Madden and Keeten were found guilty and could only get life in prison. Payne received twenty-five years in prison for his involvement and is currently out of prison. Keeten is still serving a life sentence.

 

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