The call came in to Mocksville police that a man had been assaulted and was on the railroad tracks near the old depot, at Railroad and Depot streets.

It was about 5 p.m., and officers found Terry Flint Smoot, 57, of Pine Street, who had a cut lip and dirt and gravel on his clothes. He told officers he had been beaten up but did not want any medical attention. Officers called EMS anyway, said Mocksville Police Major P.A. Reagan.

Medics thought that Smoot, who was conscious and alert and gave officers some information about what had happened, may have internal injuries, so they transported him to Baptist Medical Center.

Those medics were right.

Smoot was bleeding internally, and went into surgery that night. The bleeding continued, and Smoot died from blood loss the next day after a second surgery, Reagan said.

Now, police are investigating a murder. Anyone with information on what happened that Oct. 25 evening is asked to contact Reagan at 336-753-6710 or preagan@mocksvillenc.gov.

Reagan said officers are working closely with the district attorney’s office on information that Smoot provided before he was transported to the hospital.