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By Mike Barnhardt

Enterprise Record

A Farmington man is in custody, caught in Kingsport, Tenn. less than a day after a reported murder at his Pineville Road home.

Dennis Jerome Sales, 38, was picked up in Tennessee April 18. He had been on the run since a murder the previous afternoon, said Davie Sheriff J.D. Hartman.

Sales is accused of killing his wife, Jade Marie Sales, 34.

Investigators aren’t sure of the motive, said Chief Deputy Brian Jacobs. “It happened in the heat of the moment.”

An 18-year-old and a 1-month-old baby hid in the residence as the argument ensued. Jade Sales was dead when deputies reached the scene after 2:49 p.m. Tuesday. She had been shot multiple times, Hartman said.

The 18-year-old called 911. Davie telecommunication operators stayed on the phone with her until deputies were able to arrive and make sure the residence was safe.

There were other children who lived at the residence but were in school. They were picked up by school resource officers for safety reasons, Hartman said.

The Department of Social Services assisted with taking care of the children and finding placements with family, he said. A medical checkup was conducted on the 1 year old.

Jacobs said that both had court cases in Yadkin County that same day, and both were on illegal narcotics charges. Both of those cases were continued.

Sales has a long history with the sheriff’s department, dating back to 2008, mostly for drug-related offenses, Jacobs said. He had served time in prison.

Last year, Sales was accused of assault by pointing a gun against his brother in Yadkin County.

Jacobs said the extradition process has begun to bring the suspect to Davie County.

If you have any information on this case, contact the sheriff’s office at 336-7516238 or Email Sheriff@dcsonc.com; or leave information on the  website or through the Davie County Sheriff’s app.