Polk man received life sentence in prison in 1982

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission is currently investigating the case of Edney Whiteside, who has been in prison for 37 years, for parole. 

Whiteside, of Tryon, was convicted of the second-degree murder of Stephen Faggart, who was 18 years old at the time of the murder.

The murder occurred in October 1981, with Whiteside shooting Faggart on Trade Street in Tryon.

Whiteside shot and killed the victim while he was working on the Faggart building in Tryon, according to reports.

Faggart was a carpenter.

Whiteside was 25 years old when he pleaded guilty, and was convicted of second-degree murder in January 1982. Whiteside was sentenced to life in prison, and is currently 62 years old.

The North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission sent the Bulletin a notice that Whiteside’s case is up for parole through the Mutual Agreement Parole Program.

MAPP is a scholastic and vocational program between the commission, the division of prisons and the offender.

The commission will gather information from people both for and against the parole of Whiteside, as well as consider all the facts of the case, before making its decision. 

The commission can be contacted by calling 919-716-3010.

Gwen Ring contributed to this article.