Individual Details

Steven Paul McCain, age 36, of 1885 Benton Road Extension, Sophia died Saturday, February 25, 2006 at Randolph Hospital, Asheboro. Steve was a native of Randolph County and was a member of Charlotte United Methodist Church. He was associated with the Asheboro Trading Post and the 311 Flea Market. He was a member of the Sophia Support Club and the OSC Motorcycle Club. He is survived by his sons, Levi Paul McCain and Westley Rider McCain both of the home; father, Joe Fred McCain of Sophia, NC; mother, Martha Joyce Ferrell of Ramseur, NC; brother, Tim McCain of Sophia, NC; grandmother, Golda P. Joyce of Ramseur, NC; fiance, Misty Hurley of Sophia, NC. The family will receive friends Tuesday, February 28, 2006 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro, NC. The funeral will be held on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 2:00 PM at Sunset Avenue Church of God, 900 Sunset Ave., Asheboro with Pastor Boyd Byerly officiating. Burial will be in Charlotte United Methodist Church Cemetery, Asheboro. Memorials may be made to the Levi Paul McCain and/or Westley Rider McCain Savings Funds, c/o Bank of the Carolinas, P.O. Box 2032, Asheboro, NC 27204.

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SOPHIA — Detectives say it appears that a man didn’t have a chance to get off of his motorcycle Saturday before a neighbor allegedly gunned him down on a rural road.

Killed was Steven Paul McCain, 36, of 1885 Benton Road Extension, Sophia, deputies said. McCain was the owner of Asheboro Trading Post on Salisbury Street, his family said.

The neighbor, identified as Larry Eugene Foster, 68, of 2994 Morning Dew Drive, was charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon, a report stated. He was jailed without bond.

The shooting — which occurred in front of Foster’s home — was reported shortly after 6 p.m., officers said.

“I think it just started over a kid riding a dirt bike down the road,” said Lt. Gary Davis.

Davis said the dispute apparently began when McCain’s son, Levi McCain, 16, drove by Foster’s home on a motorcycle and Foster assaulted him.

McCain’s father, Joe McCain of Sophia, said his grandson told him that Foster hit him in the head with a rake and knocked him off the motorcycle. He said when the teenager returned home with a knot on his head, his father got on the motorcycle and drove to talk to Foster.

McCain said his son might not have been perfect, but he was a good father and kind hearted.

“Levi has been with him ever since he was a baby,” Joe McCain said. “He’s always been there for that boy.”
Investigators said Steven McCain was shot in the right side with a handgun.

“It doesn’t look he had gotten off his bike,” Davis said.

Although McCain’s and Foster’s homes are on different roads, the residences aren’t far apart, Davis said.

“Witnesses heard the shots and went over there and found him,” Davis said.

McCain’s fiancee, Misty Hurley, and his son found him, said Joe McCain. He said Hurley is the daughter of Randolph County Sheriff Litchard Hurley.

McCain said he was told that Foster didn’t say anything to his grandson and Misty Hurley at the shooting scene. He said Foster apparently went back into his home. Davis said that’s where Foster was arrested. He said Monday that the man had not given investigators a statement about the shooting.

Detectives said there was no documented history of any problems between McCain and Foster in the past. Joe McCain said his grandson had driven by Foster’s home on his way to see a friend and was headed back home when Foster allegedly attacked him.

Now, McCain said the family is trying to keep Levi McCain for blaming himself for his father’s death.

“We’ve tried to explain to him that it’s not his fault,” McCain said.

McCain said his grandson says he knows that, but the teen is still taking it hard.

“This is going to be with him for the rest of his life,” McCain said.

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ASHEBORO — The man accused in the shooting death of an Asheboro business owner in 2006 pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Randolph Superior Court on Monday and will spend at least the next 10 years in prison.

Larry Eugene Foster, 70, 2994 Mountain Dew Drive, Sophia, was charged with first degree murder in the death of Steven Paul McCain, 36, also of Sophia, on Feb. 25, 2006.

Steve McCain was the owner/operator of Asheboro Trading Post on Salisbury Street and had plans to open a second business, 311 Flea Market in the Sophia community, in two weeks.

According to Randolph County Det. Derek Hill, who investigated the incident, Foster had struck McCain’s son with a rake when the teenager rode by on a dirt bike. McCain then got on the bike and rode back to confront Foster, but there was no evidence of an altercation between the two men before McCain was shot in the right side.

In court on Monday, Judge Ronald E. Spivey accepted the plea submitted by Foster’s attorney, Butch Jenkins, and sentenced Foster to 125-159 months — 10 years and five months to 13 years, three months — in prison. McCain’s family had agreed to the plea.

Foster also pled guilty to assault with a deadly weapon for striking McCain’s son and will serve 60 days for that offense concurrent with the murder sentence.

Det. Hill said law enforcement had a good case, but given Foster’s age and the trauma of going through a trial for McCain’s son, the family agreed to the plea.

“They were emotionally exhausted and ready to move on to the next chapter in their lives,” Hill said.

Assistant District Attorney King Dozier said Foster, who had no past record of felony offenses, was Level 1 for sentencing under the guidelines of the N.C. Structured Sentencing Act.
According to court records, Foster was given probation on marijuana charges in 1997. A charge of carrying a concealed weapon in 2004 was voluntarily dismissed.

Judge Spivey ordered the destruction of the three firearms confiscated from Foster’s residence at the time of the shooting.

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Birth	9 May 1969
Marriage	7 Jan 1995	Forsyth Co NC - Stephanie Pauline Briles
Death	25 Feb 2006	Randolph Hospital, Asheboro
Burial	1 Mar 2006	Charlotte United Methodist Church Cemetery, Asheboro, NC

Spouse	Jennifer Ruth Bean ( - )
Child	Levi Paul McCain (1989 - )

Spouse	Stephanie Pauline Briles (1971 - )
Child	Westley Rider McCain ( - )

Father	Joseph F McCain ( - )
Mother	Martha Ruth Joyce ( - )
Sibling	Tim McCain ( - )