On October 7, 2024, deputies from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shooting at 5319 Mountain View Boulevard in Morganton and found 69-year-old Joel Lynn McNabb dead from an apparent gunshot wound inside his home. McNabb had been active in the community: he worked in the furniture industry for more than two decades, later became a Certified Nursing Assistant at Grace Ridge until a shoulder injury forced retirement, served as a deacon at Laurel Haven Baptist Church, and coached youth baseball, football, and wrestling.

Investigators identified 34-year-old Teddy Justin Rathbone of Black Mountain as the primary suspect the same day; by 5:30 p.m. Rathbone was located and arrested by the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office and charged with murder. He was being held without bond. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation. McNabb is survived by his mother, four sons, ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and two brothers; a celebration of his life was held October 19, 2024, at Kirksey Funeral Home in Morganton.

Did anyone in the Morganton area see or hear anything around Mountain View Boulevard on October 7 that could help investigators?