Filing Day: Retired SBI agent to challenge Monette for sheriff

A surprise candidate for sheriff has surfaced — retired SBI special agent Eric Wayne Smith, who said he plans to file for the office today.

Smith, 58, most recently retired as Craven County District Attorney investigator. District Attorney Scott Thomas said Smith told him when he retired that he wanted to devote more time to his auction business and maybe open a restaurant.

Smith apparently reconsidered and said Monday he will file for the top law enforcement office in the county 10 a.m. Tuesday at election headquarters in New Bern.

He said the citizens of North Carolina gave him many opportunities and he wanted to give back.

“It is about improvement of the office,” Smith said.

Smith has formed an election committee called Committee to Elect Eric Smith.

Craven County Sheriff Jerry Monette filed Monday at noon for his fifth term as sheriff.

Smith is a retired Marine captain. He has about 25 years in law enforcement.

Both men are Democrats.

Smith has been investigator in several high-profile North Carolina murder investigations. Smith has been in news documentaries on the Discovery Channel and MSNBC.

He was an SBI agent investigator when Vaughn Jones in Pamlico County was accused of murdering Richard and Rosa Flowers. The case was tried three times, two ending in mistrial and one ending in acquittal.

Smith was the SBI investigator in the Billy White murder in Kinston in 1992. Sylvia White was convicted of the murder of her husband and the 1993 killing of her 4-year-old stepson. That case made national headlines. Sylvia White received two life sentences.

Smith went to the county library and lifted Sylvia White’s fingerprints from a book about poison and poisoning techniques. Billy White died of poisoning.

Francine Sawyer can be reached at 252-635-5671 or at fsawyer@freedomenc.com