GREENSBORO, N.C. — The City of Greensboro has fired the man charged with murder in connection with the fatal assault of an Army vet at a hotel.
The News & Record of Greensboro reports that city spokesman Donnie Turlington says 26-year-old Garry Joseph Gupton was fired from his job in the water resources department on Sunday.
Turlington said Gupton had worked for the city since April 2012 and was hired fulltime last year.
Gupton is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Stephen Patrick White. The 46-year-old veteran died Saturday afternoon, nearly a week after being hospitalized with burns so bad that parts of both arms had to be amputated.
Officials have said it appeared White had been struck with a telephone, television and other small pieces of furniture and that a fire in the hotel room had been intentionally set.
Gupton was initially charged with aggravated assault with intent to kill, and those charges were upgraded after White died. Police have said the two met at a bar Nov. 8 and that there was no indication the incident was motivated by the sexuality of the victim.
