Sheriff Darren Campbell stated on Monday, July 25th, Deputies and First responders were dispatched to 308 Alexander Acres Rd Mooresville to a reported assault. Upon arrival First Responders found Barbara Allen Frye in the residence with severe head injuries. The caller Bonita Brown Smith who also lives at this address found the victim in her bedroom with massive head trauma. Deputies discovered that there had been no forced entry into the home and nothing missing from the home. Deputies also learned that the victim’s son, who also lives at the address, was nowhere to be found. His 2004 Toyota Rav4 was missing from the driveway. Ms. Smith reported that Michael Frye and his mother had been in an argument on the evening of July 24th. Smith indicated that she was scheduled to give Michael a ride to Salisbury for a court appearance on this date for a traffic violation. According to Smith, it was unusual that Michael would leave without letting someone know.
A message was sent out for Officers to be on the lookout for Michael Reid Frye, and the 2004 Toyota Rav4 that he was believed to be driving. Detectives and Deputies began to canvas the neighborhood, attempt to locate family and friends of Michael Frye, in an effort to locate Michael Frye. Detectives continued to attempt to locate Michael Frye through various sources of information, and contact joining Agencies, so they could be looking for Michael Frye.
Information was later obtained from that Barbara Frye had died as a result of her head injuries at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. After numerous interviews and from the evidence obtained from the crime scene a warrant was obtained for the arrest of Michael Reid Frye for the murder of his mother. This information was given to local media sources to distribute to the public in hopes that someone would call in with information to the whereabouts of Michael Frye.
Deputies reported that they received a phone call as a result of the media release which aided in the location of Frye. Deputies and Detectives were able to locate Michael Frye at 2630 Old Beatty Ford Rd in China Grove who had stayed at a friend’s home.
Detectives attempted to obtain information about this case from Frye but he refused to answer any questions. Michael Frye was then transported to the Iredell County Detention Center where he appeared before Magistrate T. Thompson and he was given a No Bond because of the murder charge and this matter also being a domestic related incident. Detectives were able to recover the vehicle that Frye was driving and was also able to interview various people where he was arrested in China Grove. This investigation is still on going and anyone with information is asked to contact the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.