MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — A McDowell County jury found Joseph Andrew Hartwell Jr., 51, guilty of multiple charges in an attempted murder trial on March 18, stemming from a shooting incident on October 3, 2023.
According to the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to reports of a shooting at a residence on Jacktown Road. Upon arrival, they found three women with gunshot wounds. A countywide search was launched to locate Hartwell, who had fled the scene. His wrecked vehicle was found on Ashworth Road, and after a foot search, deputies located Hartwell in a nearby wooded area and arrested him.
Hartwell has remained in custody without bond since his arrest.
The charges against Hartwell included:
Three counts of Attempted Murder
Three counts of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury
Possession of a Firearm by a Felon
Felony Breaking and/or Entering
Hartwell was sentenced to three consecutive terms, with a minimum of 165 months and a maximum of 210 months in prison.
Local, state, and federal agencies assisted with the investigation, including the Marion Police Department, NC State Highway Patrol, US Marshals Service, Old Fort Police Department, N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, and McDowell County Emergency Services.
Sheriff Ricky T. Buchanan praised the efforts of all law enforcement partners involved in the case and thanked District Attorney Ted Bell and his office for their successful prosecution.
