A 19-year-old North Carolina woman was killed and a man fatally shot himself in North Wilkesboro on Tuesday, according to the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office.
At around 7:43 p.m. on Tuesday, Wilkes County deputies, EMS and the Mulberry Fairplains Fire Department came to the 400 block of Caudill Road after getting a report of a shooting.
At the scene, investigators found 21-year-old Daniel Long performing CPR on 19-year-old Jenna Boles. Deputies say that Boles was suffering from a gunshot wound.
Deputies and medical personnel took over medical care from Long. However, Boles was pronounced dead at the scene a short time after.
Investigators say that Long “stated multiple times” that he “accidentally shot” Boles.
During the investigation, deputies say that Long walked to his vehicle, retrieved a handgun and shot himself. He was taken to a hospital where he would later be pronounced dead.
The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations are investigating the deaths.
The Town of Wilkesboro posted the following statement on Facebook:
“On 12/20/2021 the Wilkesboro Fire Department received a wonderful Christmas present. This is the day that Daniel Murphy Long AKA “Fridge” was hired to be a part-time Firefighter with the town. Fridge came to Wilkesboro Fire Department to build on his prior fire service experience while also continuing his membership with the North Wilkesboro Fire Department. What a jewel he was, he fit right in with us. If you spent any time at all around Fridge, you would quickly recognize that he was well on his way to a successful career. Fridge had a heart that yearned to serve others. He was always ready to jump right in and help with any task at hand from washing trucks to running calls.
“Fridge came to be loved by everyone he met. There was never a time that Fridge was at the station where people weren’t laughing, whether it was at him or with him. The funny faces, the crazy comments and the pure craziness that encircled Fridge made any bad day better.
“One day a young lady named Jenna Boles came to the fire station to see Fridge. Unknown to some of us they had struck up a relationship. Under all those jokes Fridge had a true heart of gold, and you could see it come out when Jenna walked in. They matched perfectly. She had as big of bashful smile as he did, and they both seemed to be mesmerized with each other. It was so easy to see that he loved Jenna, the fire service and being around the people that he cared about the most.
“Jenna’s family has a strong background in emergency services in Wilkes County with her grandfather serving as Fire Chief for Roaring River Volunteer Fire Department and her father serving in Officer positions with both Roaring River Volunteer Fire Department and Ronda Volunteer Fire Department. Jenna had a passion to follow in her family’s path and was pursuing education for the health care industry. Fridge had started working part-time at Ronda Volunteer Fire Department, Millers Creek Volunteer Fire Department, and had just accepted a job with Forsyth County 911 Communications Center this week. Their life together was starting to take off.
“When Jenna and Fridge left their worldly bodies, they left a large void that will never be filled. We ask that everyone remember Jenna’s family, Fridge’s family, members of Wilkesboro Fire Department, North Wilkesboro Fire Department, Ronda Volunteer Fire Department, Millers Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Mulberry-Fairplains Volunteer Fire Department, Wilkes County EMS, and Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office in your thoughts and prayers. The time ahead will be tough for all of us. Jenna and Fridge touched many lives and made a larger impact than they ever even knew. In honor of Jenna and Fridge we ask that you give a compliment or do a kind gesture for someone in your life, remember them both for their big hearts and their smiling faces. Rest easy Jenna and Fridge, we will take it from here.”
~The Members of Wilkesboro Fire Department
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