Earlier today, law enforcement personnel from the Union County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office arrested 39-year-old William Mulenex of Brevard, NC in connection with the murder of Ms. Alison “Ali” Thomas. Warrants for Mulenex’s arrest were obtained by UCSO detectives after identifying him as the fifth suspect in this ongoing homicide investigation. Ms. Alison Thomas was initially reported as a missing person to the UCSO on 02/17/2023 and was later found deceased in the mountains of Jackson County, NC. Mulenex has been charged with First Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder and is currently being processed into the Union County Detention Center.

In addition to Mulenex’s arrest, UCSO detectives have obtained additional charges for three of the suspects who were arrested earlier during this investigation. Amanda Griffin, Brandon Kisiah, and Shawn Adkins all now face an additional criminal charge of First- Degree Murder. Griffin, Kisiah, and Adkins were all initially arrested and charged with Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder. All suspects charged and arrested in this case remain in custody at this time.

This homicide investigation is ongoing and detectives continue to request that anyone with additional information contact our office at one of the methods below.

UCSO Contact Methods

- UCSO Main Office: (704)283-3789
- Union County Crime Stoppers: (704)283-5600
- UCSO Smartphone Application

Sheriff’s App Download Links
- Android Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ocvapps.a845
- Apple/iOS Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/union-county-sheriff-nc/id1660816160

UCSO Point of Contact for this Press Release is Lt. James Maye at (704)506-6843