Search ends in arrest of 16-year-old
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on September 24, 2007 2:13 PM
A Goldsboro area teen accused of a violent early Sunday morning break-in spree is in custody, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said.
Christin Ray Godette, 16, Forest Knolls Road, is accused of five break-ins and attempted break-ins within a half-square mile in the area of N.C. 111 and Forest Knolls Road, Capt. Tom Effler said.
Godette's violent spree started with an assault of Cassandra Smith of Colonial Court, an employee of Cutz 4 Muttz in Goldsboro, according to the police report.
"He beat her and dragged her around," Effler said.
Ms. Smith said on Monday morning that she had a fractured nose and "mostly bruises."
"I'm pretty (messed) up looking, if that's what you want to know," Ms. Smith said.
The 16-year-old had been a guest in her home before, but she had not seen the teen in a few months, she said.
"He was a kid from the neighborhood. He had been in my house before playing video games with my son," Ms. Smith said.
Reporting deputies said the 35-year-old suffered severe lacerations after Godette beat her about the head and face.
Effler said he didn't know if alcohol or drugs played a role in Godette's first attack.
Some minor items might have been taken during the five break-in spree, Effler said, but Godette didn't appear to be motivated by money.
"I think he's just mean, in all honesty," Effler said. "He wasn't stealing anything. He was assaulting people. It doesn't seem like it's about money."
Ms. Smith said she didn't know what motivated the attack either, or if drugs or other intoxicants could have played a role.
Just 10 minutes after Godette's break-in at Ms. Smith's home, Colonial Court neighbor Welby Jack Bonner was calling to report someone sliding open a rear door, according to sheriff's reports.
Effler said the break-ins happened quickly, one after another.
As deputies worked to process the scene, two more attempted break-ins occurred, one on Ruby Road and another on Ann Street.
Another one of those break-in victims was also injured, Effler said.
"Within about probably a three or four hour time period, we had five reports of break-ins or attempted break-ins," Effler said.
Victims and witnesses to the attacks provided useful information to the investigation, but a police dog and its trainer were instrumental in finding Godette, the captain said.
Sgt. Joe Smith and his police dog, Maggie, tracked Godette to 262 Forest Knolls Road, after which deputies obtained a search warrant, Sheriff Carey Winders said. Godette was arrested around 1 p.m., Effler said.
Winders led the team that arrested Godette at the Forest Knolls Road home just outside Goldsboro, Effler said.
The sheriff praised the Highway Patrol and members of his staff.
"It was a long night, but when the citizens are being terrorized like that, it is necessary," Winders said.
At the sheriff's office on Monday morning, Effler and Winders said the investigation was a tiring job, lasting from the early Sunday morning until Godette's arrest Sunday afternoon.
"We worked very diligently to capture the subject so the people last night could sleep well," Winders said. "We thank the Highway Patrol and all the deputies who came out who were off-duty."
Godette is charged with three counts of first-degree burglary and two counts of assault inflicting serious injury, Effler said.