By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A Statesville man charged as an accessory in the 2013 murder of firefighter Marcus “Marco” Kauffman pleaded guilty to a lesser offense Tuesday and was set free because he’s already spent more time in jail that his sentence would be.

Michael Dwayne Teasley, 28, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen goods and was sentenced to six to 17 months in prison. He was originally charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder.

Teasley was given credit for the 817 days he has served in the Rowan County Detention Center awaiting trial. Court records say that exceeds the maximum punishment for the offense he pleaded guilty to. Teasley did make bond in 2016.

Rowan County investigators said Teasley was found in possession of a laptop computer that belonged to Kauffman.

 

In December 2013, Kauffman and his then-pregnant wife, Maryann, returned to their Chenault Road home after having breakfast with his parents. The couple saw a blue car with its hood up parked near their home.

Investigators said Khari McClelland and Jaylend Turner went to the house to burglarize it because they figured no one would spot them. However, they were spotted by a neighbor and a RITA van driver. Both the neighbor and driver saw a blue car that they believed to be disabled along Chenault Road.

Marcus Kauffman took his wife to a nearby friend’s house and returned to their home to see if he could help McClelland and Turner. Investigators said McClelland fired a gun and struck Kauffman in the back of the head as he tried to drive away. Kauffman was on the phone with 911 as he attempted to leave.

His car crashed through a nearby cornfield and struck a tree at the end of the property. Kauffman was airlifted to a hospital and died weeks later after his family decided to remove him from life support.

Authorities have said McClelland and Turner stole Kauffman’s gun and laptop as well as other items. The laptop was tracked to a Statesville home where investigators spoke with Teasley, who told them he bought the laptop from a man for $200.

McClelland, who was facing the death penalty, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison in 2016.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.