Two Charged With Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult

McDowell County -- February 9, 2024: On January 30th, deputies from the McDowell County Sheriff's Office and paramedics from McDowell EMS were dispatched to a residence in Nebo, NC in response to a reported case of cardiac arrest.

Joseph Blevins, a 46-year-old man, was brought to Mission Hospital McDowell and pronounced dead. Dustin Suttles, aged 36, and Katelyn Elliott, aged 31, both residents of Nebo, were entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of Blevins. Suttles, Elliott, and Blevins were found to have returned to Nebo on this date from Tennessee, according to the investigation. Upon acquiring this information, the Sheriff's Office promptly reached out to the Pigeon Forge Police Department and initiated a collaborative investigation.

Suttles and Elliott have been charged by the Pigeon Forge Police with the offense of Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult. Both individuals have been apprehended and are currently awaiting the legal process of being transferred to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Editor's Note:* A criminal charge is an accusation, by law, a person accused of a crime is innocent until proven in a court of law.

WNCTimes