Car pulled from Lake Norman belonged to missing woman, had human remains inside, deputies say: Thursday, Feb. 9

A car that was pulled out of Lake Norman on Wednesday belongs to a woman who hasn't been seen for nearly 15 years, according to the Catawba County Sheriff's Office. Human remains were also found inside.

Deputies said they were tipped off to the likelihood of a submerged vehicle on Monday, Feb. 6 in the Mountain Creek area of the lake. A fisherman reported seeing a shape consistent with a car while using a sonar device. Deputies said Sherills Ford-Terrell Fire Rescue deployed an underwater robot into the water, confirming the car was there.

Crews were able to recover the car on Wednesday, further confirming that it was the 1996 Ford Thunderbird driven by Tina Martin. Martin went missing from her Catawba County home in Feb. 2008, and was 43 years old at the time.

Deputies also confirmed human remains were found within, and have notified Martin's next of kin. DNA testing is now being sought; as of publication, the remains have not been positively identified.

The circumstances surrounding Martin's disappearance still remain under investigation.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/catawba-county-missing-woman-tina-martin-2008-north-carolina-local/275-3c145fe3-cff8-4337-ba28-b9222e7067f4

A bill increasing punishments for violent protests following the 2020 demonstrations over George Floyd's murder passed the North Carolina House on Wednesday despite harsh criticism from social justice advocates. Some bipartisan support signals a potential override of any veto by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who issued one that blocked similar legislation two years ago.

Like the 2021 proposal, the new bill was spearheaded by Republican House Speaker Tim Moore, who has cited rioting and looting that he saw firsthand in downtown Raleigh in June 2020 amid otherwise peaceful protests as an impetus for the legislation.

The bill, which has one House Democrat as a chief sponsor, cleared the chamber 75-43 with six Democrats and all Republicans present voting yes. It now heads to the Senate.

Republican gains in both the House and Senate from elections this past November now give the GOP a veto-proof majority in the Senate and put it within one seat of a similar majority in the House.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/bill-raising-riot-penalties-north-carolina-house/275-d0dda4b7-e4d5-489d-8a45-5042c4288ad8

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!