Police are investigating a break-in and vandalism at a Roan Mountain church.
On Saturday morning, Carter County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Michael Malone responded to Walnut Mountain Cemetery Church, located on Heaton Ridge Road, after a man called 911 to report a vandalism at the church.
When Malone arrived on scene, he met with L.J. Heaton, who told the officer someone had broken windows in the church, kicked in the front door which broke the latch and had vandalized the interior of the church building.
“There is graffiti on the wall that was dated on April 14, 2016,” Malone said in his report. “There is also beer cans, two brown paper bags, Coleman lantern, a small tiki lantern and the floor was burnt.”
Heaton said the break-in and vandalism had to have occurred either on Friday, April 15 or sometime early Saturday morning before workers came to the mow the grass around the cemetery.
Malone said he photographed all the damage to the church and during his search he found a receipt that was dated April 15, 2016, from a store located in Boone, N.C.
Anyone who has any information on the break-in and vandalism at Walnut Mountain Cemetery Church is asked to contact the Carter County Sheriff’s Office at 423-542-1845. Tips can also be submitted through the Sheriff’s Office website at www.sheriff.cc/contacts/crime-tip/.