Fremont officer found dead in his home
By Kenneth Fine And Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on January 23, 2009 1:46 PM
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Rusty Herring
Hours after a Fremont police officer was found dead inside his Goldsboro home, the head of the department expressed the grief he and others who knew Rusty Herring are feeling.
"Anytime you lose a law enforcement officer, you're losing a family member," said town Police Chief Ron Rawlings.
Herring called in sick Thursday after contracting an illness during the winter storm that hit Wayne County earlier this week, Rawlings said.
Fellow officers said they had no idea they would never see their friend again.
"It hurts," Rawlings said. "He was a good officer. That's all I can say."
According to a Goldsboro police report, Herring was found dead late Thursday at his 205 Hunter's Creek Drive home, just off North Berkeley Boulevard.
Goldsboro police Maj. Jeff Stewart said an official cause of death isn't likely to be determined until after a report from the state medical examiner in Chapel Hill is available.
No services have yet been planned for Herring, but Rawlings said he would likely suggest the officer for the town's "Wall of Honor."