(Press release from District Attorney’s office)
On October 30th, 2025 Lucas Wilson Murphy pled guilty to three counts of Attempted Murder, three counts of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury, three counts of Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and four counts of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer with a Firearm.
On July 24th, 2024 a team of the tree workers were working on the maintenance of power transmission line right-of-way in a remote part of Yancey County near the Nolichucky River. While working, the tree workers had encountered Mr. Murphy, who was living in a cabin on his father’s property. When later interview by law enforcement, the tree workers indicated that their conversations with Mr. Murphy prior to the shooting had been civil and non-confrontational. On the afternoon of July 24th, and without provocation, Murphy emerged from his cabin with a .22 rifle and began shooting at the tree workers, hitting and seriously injuring three of them. Murphy continued to stalk the victims through the woods until Sheriff’s Deputies with the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene. Because of the remote nature of the scene deputies initially had to access the site on foot using a rough forest road. As they approached Mr. Murphy’s cabin he began shooting at the deputies. They then returned fire, injuring Murphy. At that time Murphy surrendered and was taken into custody…