The top five crime stories for 2011 captured the attention of people throughout the Twin Counties and beyond, especially with the first-degree murder conviction of suspected serial killer Antwan Pittman.

On Sept. 21, the Seventh Prosecutorial District Attorney’s office announced Pittman’s trial for the death of Taraha Shenice Nicholson would begin on Sept. 26 in Bertie County. The attorneys took one day to select the jury and opening statements were delivered Tuesday morning with the prosecution calling witnesses who spoke about how Nicholson’s body was found on March 7, 2009, in a patch of woods along Marriott Farm Road. Witnesses testified Pittman had sex with Nicholson then strangled her and left her to die in the woods.

Pittman took the stand in the last hour of court Wednesday to testify the sex was consensual and he dropped her off on March 1, 2009, near Braswell Memorial Library. District Attorney Robert Evans referred to earlier testimony that indicated Pittman’s semen would have drained from the vaginal cavity if Nicholson walked around and the amount that was discovered in her body indicates she was alive for less than 24-hours after intercourse.

Defense attorneys Tom Sallenger and Tommy Moore called a computer expert to the stand Thursday before both the prosecution and the defense delivered their closing arguments before the court recessed for lunch. It took less than an hour for the jury to return a guilty verdict and Superior Court Judge Cy Grant allowed Pittman a chance to address the court before being sentenced to life without parole.

“I did not kill her,” Pittman said. “You all are sending an innocent man to prison for life. I did not kill that woman.”

Although many officials suspect Pittman in the deaths of at least nine other women, he has not been charged in connection with the other deaths.

News of the June 9 death of Nash County Investigator Warren “Sneak” Lewis shook the Twin County community. Lewis and other members of the U.S. Marshal’s Eastern North Carolina Violent Fugitive Task Force were in Kinston attempting to serve murder warrants on Lamont D. Byrd and Kion Tyearl Dail for the June 2 shooting of Thomas Hinton. The officers went to the house they suspected the two teenagers were hiding out and someone shot at the officers, killing Lewis.

After a brief standoff, officers charged Dial, Devine Slade, Byrd and his brother, Maretto Byrd, in Lewis’ death.

Earlier this month, Dial’s mother, Tracy Laverne Lee, and Maretto Byrd were indicted with accessory after the fact in the Hinton’s death. Authorities said Lee bought the teenagers food and Maretto Byrd delivered it to the boys before helping the two, Slade and an unidentified juvenile relocate to the apartment where the gunshots that killed Lewis were fired.

In July, a foiled murder plot involving former Rocky Mount High School basketball star Tashawn Mabry made headlines.

Police said they received a tip that Mabry, Kevin Felix Romain, Donovan Jerel Tillery, Jaquan Marquet Ricks and Justin Lamar Alston would be in a car on the 1300 block of Raleigh Road planning to kill three men. Officers stopped the vehicle and reportedly seized four handgun and ammunition.

All five suspects were charged with felony conspiracy to commit murder as well as other gang- and gun-related crimes.

The second homicide of the year, Rafiq Salim “Sammy” Soufan on March 8, spurred an outpouring of support at Soufan’s store, Sammy’s Food Mart, and a “Stop the Violence” rally. Soufan was found shot to death in the doorway to his store at 1100 Old Wilson Road.

Police continue to chase down leads in his death, but no arrests have been made.

Another big story for the year was the disappearance and subsequent discovery of a 22-year-old in Tarboro in January. Aimee Pitt was reported missing on Jan. 3 and her body was found on Jan. 19 after Tarboro police responded to an odor coming from the home she shared with her boyfriend, Ben Harrelson. Authorities repeatedly interviewed Harrelson, but no charges were filed.