Man robs, whips, slaps Newton couple

August 24, 2011

A man pistol whipped a woman while she was bathing Monday while breaking into a Newton home and stealing money and pills.  

Police say Patrick Steven Shuford, 26, of Newton, broke into a mobile home at 4489 Athens Drive in Newton about 11:30 a.m. Monday demanding money from Greg Allen Beard, 29, who lives at the residence.

“He came in and was shouting ‘Where’s my money? Where’s my money?’” said Catawba County Sheriff Coy Reid.

Reid said the victim knew Shuford, but did not know what he was talking about.

Shuford then asked Beard where his girlfriend was, and the victim told him she was in the bathroom.

Beard’s girlfriend, Holly Nicole Herman, 26, was getting out of the bathtub as Shuford entered the bathroom wielding a chrome pistol. Reid said Herman tried to push the door shut, but Shuford forced his way in and hit the woman with the chrome pistol.

Shuford took the woman’s handbag to the living room and removed several items from the bag, Reid said. The thief also took $4 from Beard, who was afraid to do anything because Shuford had a gun, Reid said.
Shuford then slapped Beard across the face, and exited the home after Herman threatened to call the police, Reid said.

Shuford left the mobile home with $46, a leather black ladies wallet and an Alltel HTC cell phone. He also stole three bottles of the prescription medications containing Zoloft, Xanax and Trazodone, according to a Catawba County Sheriff’s Office incident report.

Shuford turned himself in Monday afternoon, and was charged with felony breaking and entering, robbery with a dangerous weapon, larceny after breaking and entering and assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held in the Catawba County Detention Facility on a $25,000 secured bond.