Salisbury: Donald Lee Frye, Sex Offender, Arrested Wednesday Morning for the Alleged Murder of Sheila Godfrey on Lyerly Pond Road Last Thursday

RFP Staff

♦ Rowan County Sheriff’s Office sources report that registered sex offender Donald Lee Frye of 611 S. 12th Street in Kannapolis was arrested early Wednesday morning after a traffic stop by Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputies near his home. He was charged with the alleged murder and robbery with firearms or other dangerous weapons of Sheila Nantz Godfrey, 53, last Thursday at her home on 175 Lyerly Pond Road in Salisbury. It’s reported that Frye’s home was under surveillance prior to the traffic stop.  Frye was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center at 1:30 a.m.

It’s alleged that Rowan County Sheriff’s Office investigators recovered evidence from Frye’s home linking the suspect to the murder. The Sheriff’s Office has not specified what that evidence was.

The late Ms. Godfrey was found dead Friday just behind her front door. Her daughter became concerned about her mother when she did not answer phone calls when Ms. Godfrey was supposed to watch her daughter’s children. It was reported that Godfrey was brutally beaten to death by her attacker with an unknown blunt object.

Donald Lee Frye:

The Late and Much Beloved Sheila Nance Godfrey:

According to reports Frye allegedly possessed and threatened to use a dangerous weapon described as a unknown blunt object and an electrical cord to threaten and endanger the life of Sheila Godfrey.  Frye is also accused of stealing the victim’s N.C. Employees Credit Union debit card. According to reports, Frye knew the late Ms. Godfrey, but was not in a relationship with her.

Frye is charged with murder (first degree) (felony) and robbery with firearms or other dangerous weapons (felony).  He is being held without bond in the Rowan County Detention Center.

Frye was convicted in 1998 in Guilford County with taking indecent liberties with a minor (felony), sex offense sub parent/custodian (felony), and sex offense (second degree) (felony). In 1986 he was convicted of indecent liberties with a child (felony) in Rowan County.

Donald Lee Frye’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0137514&searchLastName=Frye&searchFirstName=Donald&searchMiddleName=l&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Previous Rowan Free Press Articles on the murder of Sheila Nantz Godfrey:

https://rowanfreepress.com/2017/04/30/latest-from-the-sheila-godfrey-suspicous-death-investigation-on-lyerly-pond-road-in-salisbury/

https://rowanfreepress.com/2017/05/02/salisbury-update-new-camera-stills-available-of-the-person-of-interest-in-the-suspicious-death-of-sheila-godfrey-on-lyerly-pond-road/

**This article will be updated with much additional information as it arrives.**