Police charge man at Wilmington hotel with stabbing woman to death in Clayton

Police charged a man Thursday night with killing a woman who was found dead in her apartment near downtown Clayton on Wednesday.

David Alan Brinson, 52, was arrested at a hotel in Wilmington and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Karen Barney, 54, whose body was found on North O’Neil Street.

“Neighbors contacted family after they hadn’t seen her outside as usual,” the Clayton Police Department stated on its Facebook page. “That’s when Clayton Police were called, entered the home and found her stabbed to death.”

Brinson will be returned to Johnston County to face charges.

Police did not explain any relationship between Brinson and Barney. On Thursday investigators had said Barney was killed by a person she knew.

“Police are now saying this is a DOMESTIC homicide ... meaning it was someone the victim knew ... and they have identified a suspect,” the Police Department stated on its Facebook page Wednesday night.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 11:30 AM.