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Man shoots estranged wife in REACH shelter
By Justin Goble
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B. Woodring
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J. Woodring
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Authorities are searching for a man who killed his estranged wife Monday night (Sept. 18) at a local battered women’s shelter.
According to Sylva Police Chief Jeff Jamison, John “Woody” Woodring, 35, forced his way into the REACH women’s shelter at gunpoint around 9:10 p.m. After a brief altercation in the shelter’s kitchen, he shot wife Bonnie Woodring, 48, at close range with a shotgun.
Bonnie Woodring was taken to Harris Regional Hospital, where she was pronounced dead from gunshot wounds, Jamison said.
John Woodring had outstanding warrants for domestic abuse, one of which stemmed from a strangulation Bonnie Woodring reported last Thursday (Sept. 14), Jamison said. That incident was the reason Bonnie had been staying at the shelter run by REACH, a non-profit organization offering support to women who are victims of domestic abuse.
Along with the Sylva Police Department, members of the State Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office spent Tuesday looking for John Woodring along Skyland Drive and the nearby areas. The search continued throughout the day and into Wednesday (Sept. 20). Authorities believe he is driving a stolen blue 2006 Honda Civic.
“That car was reported stolen to us Tuesday morning from the Kitchens Branch area, where Woodring lived,” Jamison said.
Police tape (below) marks off the crime scene at the REACH women’s shelter (above) Tuesday (Sept. 19), where John Woodring shot and killed his estranged wife, Bonnie Woodring. According to Sylva Police Chief Jeff Jamison, John Woodring entered the facilty around 9:10 p.m. Monday night (Sept. 18) and shot Bonnie Woodring with a shotgun after a brief altercation. John Woodring fled the scene in a vehicle, which may have been a stolen metallic blue 2006 Honda Civic, Jamison said. Authorities had not apprehended John Woodring as of press time. REACH invited community residents to participate in a Tuesday night vigil (bottom photo) in memory of the slain woman. – Herald photos by Nick Breedlove.
Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe said the car was stolen on the night of the murder. A 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition stolen Monday from the same residence are believed to have been used in the murder, Ashe said.
Though some vehicles were stopped during the search, police had not apprehended Woodring by press time Wednesday.
According to REACH Director Jean Bockstahler, an incident like this has not happened in the organization’s 28-year history.
“We have an alarm system, panic buttons, things like that,” Bockstahler said. “Supposedly we are a very secure facility.”
Bonnie Woodring’s murder has hit the agency hard, she said.
“We’re all just devastated,” Bockstahler said. “We’re extremely sad for her children. We’re hoping the community will open their arms to this family, and we want them to catch this man and bring closure to Bonnie’s death as best they can.”
Bonnie Woodring and a son from a previous marriage were staying at the shelter. Authorities said the boy was not in the kitchen at the time of the incident, and that he is currently staying with family members.
Though the shelter can hold four families at a time, Bockstahler said it was vacant Monday night except for Bonnie Woodring and her son.
According to an affidavit served Sept. 13 and on file at the Jackson County Clerk of Court’s office, Bonnie Wood-ring described the couple’s 18-month relationship as troubled, which caused her to file for a restraining order.
In the document, she states that John Woodring had attempted to strangle her twice and constantly kept track of her whereabouts. She also said John Woodring had abused her son and threatened to kill her if she left him.
Screenshots taken from John and Bonnie Woodring’s Web site, www.woodringincorporated.com, show part of a video message John Woodring uploaded titled “I’m Sorry Bonnie.” According to the site’s index, the video was posted at 1:48 p.m. Sunday afternoon (Sept. 17), approximately 31 hours before John Woodring entered the REACH women’s shelter and killed his estranged wife.
The affidavit also indicates that John Woodring had threatened suicide if his wife were to leave him.
“The last time I attempted to leave, Woody stated maybe he was ‘no good for me’ and maybe he should just kill himself,” Bonnie Woodring wrote.
The terms of the restraining order show that John Woodring was to have no contact with his wife or her child. Authorities say Woodring disregarded that order numerous times last week.
Bonnie Woodring apparently applied for a restraining order in June, but that request was denied, according to court records.
Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe said his office had been looking for John -Woodring throughout the weekend.
“We found out he was staying at another residence,” Ashe said. “We spotted his vehicle, which is a black Chevrolet Corvette. When we were about to move in, he escaped on foot. He moved from place to place, maybe even from county to county.”
John and Bonnie Woodring operated an Internet business selling scenic photographs. A former Marine, John Woodring served as the career adviser for former heavyweight champion boxer Riddick Bowe, according to the couple’s Web site. He was also the author of “The Convict Speaks,” a book exploring why people commit crimes that was sold through the site. See the story the Sylva Herald wrote about his book here.
According to a March 2005 Sylva Herald story, John Woodring said he became interested in the criminal mind after serving time himself.
After being discharged from the Marine Corps. John -Woodring said he had an unstable life. After settling in Webster, he was convicted of drunk driving and assault. He was also convicted in federal court for trespassing at a women’s shelter on the Cherokee Indian Reservation.
His curiosity led him to correspond with many famous criminals, including David Berkowitz (also known as the “Son of Sam”), Winston-Salem’s “Dungeons and Dragons” murderer, and even convicted Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph.
“When I was in jail, I got curious about why people do the things they do,” he said. “I wanted to know what the real story was, without the Hollywood spin on it. There’s always a few people out there who are wired wrong, but most of the people I talked to had rough childhoods.”
Most recently, John -Woodring was arrested March 29 for felony forgery and common law robbery.
A Pennsylvania native, John Woodring is a member of the Moose Lodge, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and the Marine Corps league, according to the couple’s Web site. He is a student at Western Carolina University pursuing a master’s degree in counseling, the site said.
Aside from the Internet business, Bonnie Woodring worked as a registered nurse at Harris Regional Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Unit. A Texas native, she served on the women’s auxiliary of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Marine Corps League. She was also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, the First United Methodist Church’s women’s group and the Quilting Guild of North Carolina, the Web site said.
In the “About Us” section of the site, Bonnie Woodring said her most memorable moments were “getting a horse for Christmas when she was just 8 years old and, of course, marrying Woody.”
John Woodring left a video message for his wife on the site, titled “I’m Sorry Bonnie.” It shows pictures of the two together while a song with the lyrics “I’m sorry that I hurt you” plays in the background. The site index shows the movie was uploaded at 1:48 p.m. Sunday afternoon (Sept. 17).
According to Harris Regional Hospital spokesman Brian Thomas, Bonnie’s connection to the facility has caused officials there to increase security for the time being.
“We’ve just taken some extra precautions since she worked here,” Thomas said. “We do have some extra personnel and security in place until the authorities apprehend him.”
The Sheriff’s Office reported Woodring was last seen wearing a dark green shirt and khaki shorts. He is a white male with blonde hair and blue eyes, weighing 190 pounds and standing 5 feet 9 inches. So far, deputies have searched
“We’re following tons of leads,” Ashe said. “We have aircraft in the air to see if the vehicle has been abandoned in the area. We’ve also extended our resources to U.S. Marshals and the FBI, since some of the leads point to other states, including Texas and Pennsylvania.”
The North Carolina license plate number of the stolen car is JRY2108. Woodring is armed and should be considered extremely dangerous, Jamison said.
Becuase of Monday’s incident, Bockstahler said the REACH shelter has temporarily closed.
Assistant Editor Carey Phillips and photographer Nick Breedlove contributed to this report.
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