Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Thursday 10th April 2025 at 06:30hrs
A 38-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the death of 60-year-old Barry Dawson, who was fatally shot at an address in Elm Street, South Moor, on Saturday evening.
Police were called to the property at approximately 5:20 pm on Saturday, April 5, following reports of a disturbance.
Upon arrival, officers found Mr. Dawson, who had sustained a gunshot wound.
Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
A subsequent postmortem examination confirmed that Mr. Dawson died as a result of a single gunshot wound.
Durham Constabulary have confirmed that Kevin Dorward, 38, of Annfield Plain, has been charged with murder.
Additionally, Michaela Hetherington, 35, also of Annfield Plain, has been charged with perverting the course of justice in connection with the incident.
Both Dorward and Hetherington have been remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court tomorrow morning (Thursday, April 10).
In a significant development, police today (Wednesday, April 9) announced further arrests in the ongoing investigation.
A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, while a 20-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman have been taken into custody on suspicion of assisting an offender.
All three are currently being held by police for questioning.
A dedicated team of 35 detectives from the Major Crime Team is working tirelessly on the case, receiving support from armed response officers, specialist crime scene examiners, search teams, and neighbourhood policing units.
“Several lines of enquiry are being pursued, and the community will have noticed there has been significant police activity,” a spokesperson for Durham Constabulary stated.
“They can expect this activity to continue for a significant period of time as our investigation progresses.”
Police are urging anyone who may have information related to the incident to come forward.
Anyone with any information is asked to call Durham Constabulary on 101, or 999 in an emergency, quoting incident number 302 of April 5.
Members of the public can also share footage and information directly with the investigators via the online portal: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/1101010119Q11-PO1
G2K INCIDENT WATCH 