REIDSVILLE, N.C. — A decades-old murder case in Rockingham County came to a resolution on Friday, November 22, 2024, as Johnny Ware pleaded guilty in Superior Court to Second Degree Murder for the 1994 killing of his uncle, Edward Ware. The plea provided long-awaited closure for Ware’s family and the community, bringing an end to what had been a cold case for nearly 30 years.
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District Attorney Katy Gregg announced that Ware, now 56, was sentenced to serve 50 years in the custody of the Department of Adult Corrections. The case, which remained unsolved for decades, was revived in 2023 with advancements in DNA technology, ultimately leading to Ware’s arrest and conviction.
The Crime and Investigation
On May 7, 1994, Edward Ware, 68, was found dead in his home in Reidsville. Investigators reported signs of a violent struggle, evidence of robbery, and no forced entry. Despite an extensive investigation by the Reidsville Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the case grew cold as leads dwindled…