Kings Mountain man tells dispatcher, "I think I might have killed her" | Crime

By Bari Lanning - email

KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC (WBTV) - Sheriff's deputies have arrested and charged a man with first-degree murder in connection with his wife's death.

Deputies with the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call on Saturday at 12:59 a.m. from a man who claimed he may have killed his wife.

When deputies arrived at 330 Mary's Grove Church Road, they found 51-year-old Gaylain Monya Crosby unresponsive.  Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

Joseph Lee Crosby, 46, was at the scene when deputies arrived at the home.

Gaylain Crosby's brother Phil Degree described his sister as the backbone of the family, and is puzzled over the what lead to the violence.

He said,  "Her husband was a good man. He was a good man. And he was a good father and good husband to my sister. It was a big loss for everybody."  

In a 911 call, Crosby told a dispatcher, "I think I might have killed her." 

He went on to say, "We were fighting [...] we got into it in the bathroom [...] I don't know, I just snapped [...] we fell to the floor [...] and I started choking her."

He then left the phone off the hook as he waited for police to arrive.  10 minutes later, what sounds like a woman crying and police talking to Crosby is heard in the background. 

Her nephew Brandon Terry feels beyond the sadness, the family is taking things one day at a time.

"We just continue to pray and understand and let the police do what they do, and the investigators do what they do. And continue on and be strong for each other," he said.

Crosby was arrested and charged with murder.  He is being held at the Cleveland County Detention Center without bond. His next court appearance is set for September 2.

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