A North Carolina murder suspect with ties to the Tyrone and Port Matilda area is scheduled to be featured tonight on the FOX Television program “America’s Most Wanted.”
Authorities continue to search for 35-year-old John Raymond “Woody” Woodring in the shooting death of his wife, 48-year-old Bonnie Woodring. The case has drawn national media attention and led to a nationwide manhunt for the man accused of making his way into a domestic violence shelter last week to kill his wife.
Sylva N.C. Police Chief John Jamison told The Daily Herald earlier this week that 35-year-old John Raymond “Woody” Woodring will be profiled on tonight’s show. Woodring is wanted in connection with the Sept. 18 shooting death of 48-year-old Bonnie Woodring, after he allegedly broke into a woman’s shelter where she was staying with her 13-year-old son. An “AMW” producer confirmed the case is scheduled to be featured tonight.
The Daily Herald’s research discovered Woodring was listed as a part of the senior class of 1989 in that year’s Tyrone Area High School Yearbook and a check of Pennsylvania court records showed Woodring had a couple of minor brushes with the law in Blair County in the 1990s. One of those documents listed Woodring with a Port Matilda address. It has also been widely reported that Woodring still has family in the local area and Tyrone Police and other area law enforcement were informed of the case because of the possibility Woodring might flee to this area.
Woodring has been on the loose and allegedly stole a vehicle, which led authorities to issue a nationwide alert for him and a blue Honda Civic. The Asheville Citizen-Times reported a possible sighting last week of Woodring and the vehicle in the midwest. The vehicle was recovered Monday night behind a Greyhound Bus terminal in Knoxville, TN. The car was shipped back to North Carolina for examination and Jackson County North Carolina Sheriff investigators spent time in Tennessee trying to pick up Woodring’s trail, according to an Associated Press report earlier this week.
The “America’s Most Wanted” web site posted information about Woodring last week and its current home page features a photo of him and a link to a detailed story.
The web site said Bonnie Woodring took out a Domestic Violence Protective Order (DVO) against Woodring just days before her murder. “AMW” reported when she went home with their 13-year-old son to pick up their things, Woodring allegedly assaulted her again and she had to be taken to the hospital. “AMW” reported a warrant was issued for Woodring's arrest and his wife entered a domestic violence shelter.
According to “AMW”, Woodring legally changed his name to Woody Woodring. He has several tattoos on his body. On his upper arm he has one of the television cartoon character–Woody Woodpecker.
Woodring is described as white, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 190 pounds with straight, short, brown hair. He has a U.S. Marine Corps tattoo on his arm. Police continue to offer an unspecified cash reward for information leading to Woodring’s capture, according to information posted on the Citizen-Times’ web site yesterday.
In addition to tonight’s “AMW” feature, the case has received national coverage on CNN, Court TV and Geraldo Rivera, according to the Citizen-Times.
To date, the “AMW” web site claims 907 fugitives have been apprehended as a result of its efforts. The program hosted by victim advocate John Walsh has aired on the FOX network since 1987 except for a brief cancellation in the 1990s that led to viewers and law enforcement officials demanding the show be returned to the air. Walsh was unavailable for an interview regarding the Woodring case. An “AMW” producer was contacted for comment but did not respond by The Herald’s press deadline.
The program has a toll-free hotline to report tips that are relayed to authorities. The show’s tipline number is 1-800-CRIME-TV. Locally, this Saturday’s program is scheduled to air at 9 p.m. EDT on FOX 8, WWCP.
—
On the net: www.amw.com, www.citizen-times.com and www.fbi.gov/mostwant.htm
