Police sought slain school official's text messages
A Raleigh man was indicted Tuesday on charges of murder, rape and burglary in connection with the March 9 death of state school board member Kathy Taft.
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Authorities obtained the search warrant March 18, nine days after Kathy Taft died from a fractured skull and extensive brain damage resulting from the attack.
Jason Keith Williford, 30, was arrested April 16 and charged with first-degree murder and first-degree forcible rape in the case. Investigators have said they do not believe the two knew each other.
As part of murder investigations, a victim's communications are usually examined for evidence. The warrant lists five telephone numbers from which police wanted text messages and other information from March 1 to March 17.
Taft, 62, of Greenville, was recovering from plastic surgery at a friend's home on Cartier Drive in Raleigh when she was raped and beaten repeatedly on the head with a blunt object, according to an autopsy report. She died March 9, three days after her sister found her bloodied and unresponsive, police have said.
Williford, who was later also indicted on a first-degree burglary charge, is being held without bond at Central Prison in Raleigh.
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