Son Said Mom Was Killed By Home Intruder. Then He Told Authorities The Truth By Nicole Acosta

A North Carolina man will spend decades in prison for killing his mother after initially telling police that she had been shot by a home intruder. 

Donald Fink was sentenced to 28 to 35 years behind bars after pleading guilty to second-degree murder on Oct. 7, according to a news release shared by the Forsyth County District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said Kernersville police officers found Fink’s 65-year-old mother, Debra “Debbie” Fink, with a gunshot wound to her face, after responding to the home on a report of a possible break-in on June 12, 2023.

Donald was at the scene and reportedly told officers someone had broken into the house and shot his mother, per the release. His mother was pronounced dead at the scene.

However, investigators claim Donald made “multiple inconsistent statements” regarding what he was doing at the time of his mother’s death.

Several days after the killing, Donald admitted to police that he fabricated the break-in story and kicked in a door before calling 911, prosecutors said. He added that he was holding the 9mm handgun — which police found at the scene with an extended magazine — when the fatal shot was fired. Donald further claimed the shooting was accidental.

Per the release, Donald’s DNA was found on the murder weapon and magazine, and his hands tested positive for gunshot residue.

According to prosecutors, witnesses reported that Donald was seen with the handgun after the shooting, and that earlier in the day he had pointed it at another woman. The witnesses added that nobody was seen entering or exiting the home before the shooting.

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The handgun found at the scene was the same one registered to Debra, who reported it stolen three months earlier, per the release.

Prosecutors said Debra was recovering from “major knee surgery” at the time of her killing and was unable to stand or walk without help. Witnesses also told investigators that Debra was afraid of her son and that in the past, he had stolen money from her and threatened to shoot her.

The victim’s sisters, Terri Norman and Brenda Duhon, spoke in court at the sentencing hearing and expressed relief that the case was over, per the release.