By Sherrie Norris
After years of speculation, research, interviews and more, local historian, Terry L. Harmon, is pleased to announce that his long-awaited book about the Durham family murders is now available.
Released on August 17, 2024, CONVOLUTED: The 1972 Durham Family Triple Homicide is currently available only on Amazon and is quickly gaining momentum among High Country residents who have been captivated for years by the horrific crime occurring in Boone’s backyard.
Harmon’s indepth research comes alive on 581 pages of the paperback book, with many pictures and personal accounts and memories of those closest to the situation helping to tell the story.
In an interview with High Country Press, Harmon related that for 50 years, the 1972 murders of Bryce and Virginia Durham and their teenage son Bobby, on a bitter winter’s night in Boone, remains unsolved.
“In 2022, the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office announced that their killers had finally been identified,” Harmon shared. “Based on information from Georgia, four men associated with the Dixie Mafia (including the infamous Billy Sunday Birt, whose notoriety was explored by the popular ‘In The Red Clay’ podcast) were proclaimed with certainty to be the guilty parties who strangled the Durhams and placed them headfirst into a water-filled bathtub.”
However, Harmon noted, “Although the case was officially closed, questions remain about motive and who orchestrated the crime.”
Many questions still remained unanswered, he added.
“Who and what would have brought these men from northeast Georgia to the home of a small- town car dealer and his family in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina and why? Or have the killers accurately been identified?”
Remembering The Murders
A native to the area, Harmon shared with HCP that he grew up in the Vilas community of Watauga County, just two miles from the Durham residence.
“My family didn’t know the Durhams, personally, and I was 6 years of age at the time,” he stated.” Of course, I didn’t understand everything that was going on, but I did understand somewhat the fear that surrounded our community.”
Harrnon recalled always knowing about the crime as he grew up. “And nearly every time we came to Boone, passing by their house on the bypass was a reminder.”
When asked how his interest in the murders was cultivated, Harmon explained, “My folks had kept articles about it from the newspapers and magazines through the years, and you know how you rummage through drawers and come across those things, you revisit the situation? That’s kinda how it kept coming to mind for me.”
Harmon told HCP that he had always loved researching local history and events.
“I was already writing another book about local crime, beginning with the year 1849 and I wanted to go through at least 1974 to include the Durham murders,” he shared. “In the midst of that, the Watauga County Sheriff’s office came out with that mind-blowing news that the murders had been solved — something most of us thought would never have happened.”
Harmon said he learned that Sheriff L.D. Hagaman was calling a press conference with the news. “I didn’t know at that very moment that it was closed to the public and that only the media was invited. So, I began contacting local media folks and was grateful that Ken Ketchie, publisher of High Country Press at the time, allowed me to go along with them.”
Recalling that it was “a good press conference,” and admitting that his “inquiring mind” just wanted to know more, Harmon returned home having made a huge decision.
“Within an hour of leaving that press conference, I decided to put my other book on hold and focus on the Durham murders.”
And so it happened.
“In the last two and a half years, I have done extensive research and writing, I interviewed more than 100 people (most are included in over 3,000 end notes); I’ve researched countless court documents, and did my best to include the facts as they were presented.”
Harmon was quick to say that Watauga County Sheriff Hagaman “was very gracious” to him in his effort.
‘There were so many others who became involved, and the interest heightened once the announcement was made by Sheriff Hagaman,” Harmon recalled. “He treated us all fairly and gave us equal access to the old investigative files.”
Over the years, Harmon said, some of the sheriffs had worked on the case more than others.
“The old files were kinda piecemeal, and with other law enforcement agencies involved, some of the records were scattered around. But, I was grateful to have access to all that, with the exception of what the SBI probably has in its possession.”
Harmon added that, “simultaneously,” the Red Clay Podcasts, Season One and Two, about the Georgia Dixie Mafia and the legend of Billy Sunday Birt, brought additional attention to the case.
“Those four men didn’t just randomly drive from Georgia to Boone,” Harmon said. “Universally, I think, it is the belief that Troy Hall, the Durham’s son-in-law, had something to do with it. But, will we ever know? The whole thing has frustrated people here for years, and it continues to do so today. Some people felt like the case was closed, but how could it be? There’s never been enough evidence to prove that, so we’re just kinda left with that end.”
Harmon said that he particularly wanted this to be a book that locals would understand and appreciate. And, it appears to be doing just that according to readers who have already delved into it.
“I wanted it to be a fine balance in that someone in South Dakoto, a true crime junkie, might pick it up and possibly get bored with it, but locals will find it more meaningful with all the local names and places mentioned. That’s what I cared more about.”
And then, again, Harmon noted, “ I just felt like there could still be more information out there that local people have never spoken up about. Time is getting short – a lot of people have passed away that might know something, and hopefully others will share information before their time is up. I hope it might be a catalyst for that kind of thing.”
Beyond family history compilations and another local historical book, Watauga County Revisited, (2019) Harmon is pleased that his inaugural publication through Amazon is now available.
He has no immediate plans for local distribution or book signings, but hopefully that will change in the near future.
CONVOLUTED: The 1972 Durham Family Triple Homicide book contains more than 160 images — photos, maps, and diagrams — and is described as a detailed account exploring the lives and murders of the Durhams, the decades of investigation that followed, and the multiple leads, theories, motives, and suspects that have been put forth.
Available now on Amazon.
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