New Bern, North Carolina – District Attorney Matt Wareham announced that on Tuesday, June 9th, a Craven County Jury convicted Robert Joseph Westrup, age 46 of New Bern, of four counts of Attempted Murder, four counts of Assault on Law Enforcement Officer with Firearm, and Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon. The trial began on Monday, June 1st and concluded with a sentencing hearing on Wednesday, June 10th where he was sentenced to serve nine consecutive judgments, including an aggravated sentence of Attempted Murder on Craven County Deputy Zach Bellingham. In total the Defendant was ordered to serve a minimum of ninety-four (94) years to one hundred and nineteen (119) years in the Department of Adult Corrections.
On October 10, 2021, deputies with the Craven County Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve an Involuntary Commitment Order on Westrup. When deputies tried to take Westrup into custody, he pulled out a concealed Glock 19 pistol and shot Deputy Bellingham in the midsection, instantly paralyzing him. After shooting Bellingham, another deputy struggled with Westrup to take control of the firearm as the Defendant tried pull that deputy into his bedroom.
That deputy was able to get away from the Defendant, and the Defendant again shot at the deputies. Two deputies returned fire, and the Defendant continued to fire at them from his bedroom. All deputies were able to escape from the residence, and a stand-off took place between Westrup and law enforcement. During the standoff North Carolina SBI negotiators tried to get the Defendant to surrender peacefully for approximately two hours. Ultimately, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office and the New Bern Police Department’s Special Response Team (SRT) got the Defendant out of his home after firing 13 canisters of Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) gas into the residence.
Westrup was wounded from the previous exchange of gunfire with deputies and was taken to Vidant Medical Center where he was treated and released to the Craven County Jail the next day. Westrup had previously been convicted of Possession with Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm during the commission of a drug crime in Federal District Court- Middle District of Georgia.
The jury convicted the Defendant on all counts after deliberating for approximately one hour. The State called fifteen witnesses and introduced over 170 items of evidence that included: photographs, medical reports, a firearm, shell casings, fired bullets, drone footage, and emergency call recordings. The State was represented by District Attorney Matt Wareham, and Assistant District Attorney Jamie Askins.
District Attorney Wareham stated, “I want to thank the jurors who listened attentively to all the evidence and followed the law in returning these verdicts. ADA Jamie Askins did an outstanding job in jury selection and presenting portions of the States case. It was important for us to show that although the victims in these crimes were law enforcement, they are also people, and this defendant attacked them when they were simply doing their jobs. This jury was the voice and consciousness of our community, and they spoke loudly when they convicted him on all counts. Unfortunately, and sadly, Deputy Bellingham is permanently injured, and these deputies and their families will be changed because of these crimes forever.”
“It’s closure for these deputies.” Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes said. “Of course, there’ll never be any closure for Deputy Bellingham. Every day he has to deal with what has happened because of the senseless crime that Robert Westrup inflicted on him”
The Honorable Superior Court Judge Robert Roupe presided over the trial and several agencies assisted in the investigation including the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, New Bern Police Department, NC Highway Patrol, Havelock Police Department, the North Carolina Crime Lab, and Craven County Emergency Services.
NOTE: Under North Caolina Structured Sentencing law, a convicted criminal defendant must serve all the minimum active sentence and may be required to serve up to the maximum sentence. Upon release at the conclusion of the prison sentence, a nine-to-twelve-month period of post-release supervision by a probation officer is required.
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