Man charged with murdering East Spencer woman

Joan Marie Lark was found dead this morning in her East Spencer home. Her daughter, Cassandra Woodson, and Cassandra's father, James Edward Woodson, react to news of Lark's death. Photo by Nathan Hardin, Salisbury Post.

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Cureton

Lark's granddaughter ran to the home of neighbor Franklin Davis to call police this morning. Lark worked at the VA Medical Center, where Davis is an outpatient. Lark lived in the two-story tan home. Photo by Nathan Hardin, Salisbury Post.

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By Nathan Hardin

nhardin@salisburypost.com

EAST SPENCER — Authorities say a 49-year-old woman was murdered early Friday as her six grandchildren slept upstairs. A man who lived with her until recently has been charged in her death.

Joan Marie Lark was beaten to death with a baseball bat, family members said. Her grandchildren discovered her body Friday morning, according to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

Gary A. Cureton, 54, is charged with murder, felony first-degree burglary and felony robbery with a dangerous weapon. As he was being interviewed by authorities Friday, Cureton complained of “medical issues” and was taken to Rowan Regional Medical Center for evaluation, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Lark’s daughter, Cassandra Woodson, said Cureton is a former live-in boyfriend. He and Lark began having problems and she asked him to leave on New Year’s Day.

But Cureton had a key to the 110 W. Spencer St. home that he never gave back to Lark, Woodson said. Authorities haven’t said if they believe Cureton used the key to get into Lark’s house and assault her in the downstairs bedroom where grandchildren found her dead on the floor.

Woodson, a mother of 10, said Lark kept six of her children for her. The oldest first discovered Lark’s body about 6 a.m.

Franklin Davis, who lives across the street, said he always looks out the window to check for his newspaper, and Friday he noticed it “took a long time for the lights to come on” in Lark’s home.

After the lights did come on, Woodson’s 14-year-old daughter Alexis ran across the street to Davis’ house for help.

“Next thing I know, she’s saying, ‘Grandma’s dead. She’s dead,’ ” Davis said.

Davis sat in his wheelchair on his porch Friday and watched as authorities blocked off West Spencer Street and investigators surveyed the inside of the home late into the morning.

Dozens of neighbors and family members gathered at the nearby post office on North Long Street.

Lark moved into the newly built home seven months ago. Davis, a veteran, said he knew her previously from the VA Medical Center, where she worked as a front-desk assistant.

Davis said he spoke to Lark often and she had mentioned problems she was having with Cureton.

“He was upset about it,” Davis said, “and was saying a lot of things.”

“It’s sad, man,” he said. “She was doing her best, with a good job, taking care of the kids like she was supposed to.”

Woodson, Lark’s daughter, said the house was her mother’s “dream home.”

“She always wanted a house built,” Woodson said. “Everything that she said she was going to do, she did.”

Woodson said she was worried for her mother after Lark kicked Cureton out of the home.

“He left 33 messages on her house phone and cell phone saying he was going to kill her and my kids,” Cureton said.

Cureton, who authorities arrested at a home on Concord Lake Road in Kannapolis about 1:30 p.m. Friday, has a history of domestic violence, according to N.C. Department of Correction records.

In 2008, he was convicted of two counts of communicating threats. In 2000, he was convicted of two counts of domestic criminal trespassing and assault on a female.

When she spoke to Lark late last night, Woodson said, she felt that her mother was scared.

“She said, ‘I love you,’ ” Woodson said. “I said ‘I love you, too,’ and a cold chill came over me and I couldn’t sleep all night. I just kept tossing and turning.”

Investigators ask anyone with other information about the case to contact Lt. Chad Moose at 704-216-8687 or Detective Adam Loflin at 704-216-8686.

Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.