Staff
Report
A pair of local men are accused of targeting at least two vacant houses of deceased individuals for burglaries.
On Dec. 7, the burglary of a vacant residence located on Tusquittee Road in Hayesville was reported. The residence was vacant due to its owners being deceased. The residence had been ransacked and numerous items of jewelry, wristwatches, power tools, iPads, a laptop computer, among other items reported stolen.
Clay County Investigators Steven Smith and Brandon Coker along with Officers Corey Scroggs and Donovan Burke responded and began an intensive investigation, according to a release from Sheriff Mark Buchanan. Items were also recovered at the residence and found to have been left by the perpetrator(s).
Smith eventually received information that Brian William Dixon, 46, and Steve Cassidy Stewart, 36, both from Hayesville, were allegedly working together to identify vacant residences of deceased owners for the purpose of burglarizing them. Stewart was located, made a partial confession and his cell phone was seized as evidence.
Using Cellebrite diagnostic equipment, Smith obtained a complete full file system extraction from Stewart’s cell phone. Analysis of the information revealed searches for deceased persons’ homes, 14 potential residences to be burglarized, images of stolen property and communications between Stewart and Dixon relating to burglaries.
A vacant residence on Qualla Road in Hayesville was specifically identified from Stewart’s phone as a potential location to be broken in to. The residence was found to have been burglarized, with its interior in total disarray and various items that had been allegedly stolen.
After Dixon was located, he confessed to Stewart and himself having burglarized both residences, according to the press release.
Dixon and Stewart were arrested and charged with the two second-degree burglaries, felony larcenies and distribution of stolen property.
Stewart was also charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon because of handguns that had been found in his possession.