Beloved Hayesville Business Owner Gunned Down

Clay County Sheriff's Office

Press Release

On Wednesday, 06/10/26, shortly after 1:00 PM Clay County Sheriff’s Officers Drew Judge and Corey Scroggs were dispatched to 6 Mission Hill Road in Hayesville for a welfare check of a resident. Wanda Holden Cotton, 58 years of age, resided at this residence and had not shown up to work at Part City Auto Parts on this day as was expected. Once to this residence, Officers Judge and Scroggs repeatedly knocked on doors and announced themselves but received no answer.

The Officers were eventually able to make entry into the house through a back door. As Officers Scroggs and Judge searched through the house, they found Cotton on a bedroom floor, deceased from a single gunshot5 wound. Also found lying deceased on the bedroom floor was David Dupriest Jr, 58 years of age, of Hayesville. Dupriest was likewise found to have died from a single gunshot wound. Dupriest had reportedly been living at this residence with Cotton. Officers Scroggs and Judge secured this residence and called for a response from Investigators.

Clay County Chief Deputy Tyler Faggard, Lt. Investigator Brandon Coker, Investigator Steven Smith, Sheriff Mark Buchanan, N.C. State Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Ian Comeaux, and on-call N.C. Medical Examiner Josh Randal responded to the residence and began a thorough investigation. Based on the results of a crime scene search, various interviews, medical examinations, etc., it was evident that Dupriest shot Cotton before turning the gun on himself.