News Release
NPS photo of a US Park Ranger vehicle along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
News Release Date: December 6, 2018
Contact: US Attorney's Office, Western District of North Carolina, 704-338-3140
A federal grand jury has issued a superseding indictment charging Derek Shawn Pendergraft, age 21, with First Degree Murder and Aggravated Sexual Abuse resulting in the death of a coworker within Blue Ridge Parkway. Pendergraft was previously charged with Second Degree Murder after an incident this past summer.
According to allegations contained in the superseding indictment and other court documents, on the evening of July 24, 2018, Pendergraft, who worked at the Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway, reported that his co-worker, Sara Ellis, was missing. Court documents allege that when initially interviewed by investigators, Pendergraft stated that he and Ellis got off work shortly after 4:00 pm, and decided to go for a hike on an unnamed trail near the employee housing area of the Pisgah Inn. Pendergraft stated that shortly after starting their hike it began to rain, and the victim decided to return to the housing area while Pendergraft continued to hike. Court documents allege that Pendergraft stated that on his way back, upon reaching the point where he last saw the victim, Pendergraft saw the victim’s umbrella and hat lying on the ground. Pendergraft informed the management staff at the Pisgah Inn that the victim was missing. Rangers and first responders searched the area and located the victim’s body lying off an embankment, near a trail, within Blue Ridge Parkway boundaries.
Court documents state that on the evening of July 25, 2018, the manager of the Pisgah Inn contacted law enforcement and advised that Pendergraft was in her office and had made statements regarding the death of Sara Ellis. Law enforcement arrived at the Pisgah Inn, interviewed Pendergraft, and arrested him shortly thereafter in connection with the victim's murder.
Pendergraft is currently in federal custody. His court hearing on the new charges is set for Friday, December 7, 2018. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina. In making today’s announcement, the US Attorney thanked the National Park Service, the FBI, the SBI, the Transylvania County Sheriff's Office, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cruso Fire Department for their respective work and assistance in this case.
Previous case update: August 10, 2018
A federal grand jury has indicted Derek Shawn Pendergraft, age 20, with second degree murder. Special Agents with the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) are working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Charlotte Division, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, and US Park Rangers of Blue Ridge Parkway on the investigation.
According to allegations contained in the indictment and criminal complaint filed in federal court, on the evening of July 24, 2018, Pendergraft reported that a co-worker was missing. Both Pendergraft and the person he reported missing were employees of the Pisgah Inn, a concessionaire within the park. The complaint alleges that, when initially interviewed by investigators, Pendergraft stated that he and the other employee both got off work shortly after 4:00 pm and decided to go for a hike on an unnamed trail near the employee housing area of the Pisgah Inn. Shortly after starting their hike it began to rain and the other employee decided to return to the housing area while Pendergraft hiked on. On his way back, upon reaching the point where the two separated, Pendergraft saw the other employee’s umbrella and hat lying on the ground. Pendergraft told investigators that he immediately began to search for the other employee and informed the management staff at the Pisgah Inn that she was missing. US Park Rangers and first responders searched the area and located the missing employee’s body lying off an embankment near a park trail.
Investigators interviewed Pendergraft and took him into custody in connection with the murder. The criminal bill of indictment was returned on August 9 by a federal grand jury sitting in Asheville, NC. The charge of second degree murder carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. An indictment is an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
ISB: the Investigative Services Branch of the National Park Service
www.nps.gov/ISB
Last updated: December 6, 2018