As part of a plea agreement, Dwayne Patrick Pettiford, 22, received a prison sentence of between 93 and 121 months in the North Carolina Department of Correction. The sentence was handed down by Superior Court Judge Ronald Stephens.

Alice Elizabeth Johnson, 18, of 104-B Person Court died June 4, 2007 at Person Memorial Hospital shortly after she collapsed during a traffic stop by Roxboro police near the intersection of South Main Street and South Street. A preliminary report from the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office in Chapel Hill indicated Johnson died from a stab wound she suffered on Thursday, May 31.

Pettiford was charged with murder in connection with Johnson’s death two days later. At that time, he was already in the Person County jail being held without privilege of bond on a felony charge of attempted murder.

According to Roxboro Police Chief Jeff Insley, Johnson was hospitalized four days as a result of the May 31 stabbing.

Kim Gibson, director of quality insurance and risk improvement at Person Memorial Hospital, told The Courier-Times last June that Johnson was “discharged by a physician on June 4.” Officials at Person Memorial Hospital were made aware of the medical examiner’s findings, according to Insley.

Roxboro police Capt. M.A. Kirby said Friday that the fatal stab wound was to Johnson’s upper torso, “near her heart,” He went on to say the fatal wound was “fairly deep” and that Johnson had approximately 20 other slash wounds.

The stabbing reportedly took place in the early morning hours of May 31, 2007. On that date,  police responded to 426 Monroe St. shortly after 3:30 a.m. to investigate a report of a stabbing.

Officer William Dunkley responded to the scene and, according to his incident report, when he arrived on the scene he found Johnson laying "on the staircase of the apartment.” He went on to write that Pettiford and another person were talking with Johnson “in an attempt to keep her conscious.”

Patrolman Mickey Rogers stopped a vehicle in which Johnson was a passenger for having an expired registration plate on June 4. Johnson reportedly exited the vehicle during the traffic stop, collapsed and later died after being taken to Person Memorial Hospital.