North Carolina police took a man into custody for murder Thursday after a brief standoff.
Buncombe County deputies responded to a domestic violence call at a home in Weaverville, north of Asheville, Thursday afternoon and arrested Eric Gentle for the murder of Diane Lofland, WLOS reported.
Lofland’s body was found at a home elsewhere in Weaverville earlier in the day when deputies conducted a wellness check.
Shortly before 3 p.m., they were at the second home nearby with guns drawn.
“They got out of their vehicles with AR15s, heavy armament and went down back through the yard and started surrounding a house,” said witness Bob Noel. “They were staking themselves out in the woods and eventually surrounded the whole house.”
Deputies called for Gentle to come out with megaphones, and eventually — after about an hour — he did.
“He wasn’t wearing a shirt or anything like that. White male, had tattoos on his back and his front,” Noel said. “He was actually quite calm so they bring him out, put him in a vehicle and took him off.”
Deputies have not yet provided information about the relationship between Gentle or Lofland or how she died.
Gentle, 35, was charged with first degree murder and is being held without bond, the sheriff’s office said. He is due in court on Friday.
