Evans indicted in couples' deaths

By Donna Swicegood

A woman charged with murdering two elderly couples last year was indicted by an Iredell County grand jury Monday.

The grand jury returned indictments on four counts of first-degree murder against Barbara Ann Evans, 65, of Jennings Road, on Monday afternoon.

Evans' court-appointed attorney, Mark Rabil, said he was not surprised by the indictments.

"Indictments are never a surprise. They're basically rubber stamps for the police investigations," he said.

The grand jury process consists of detectives and a prosecutor presenting a brief synopsis of the case to 18 citizens chosen to serve on the grand jury.

The grand jury then decides to issue a true bill of indictment or no true bill. A true bill means enough evidence was presented to allow the case to proceed to Superior Court.

Neither the defendant nor their attorney appears before the grand jury.

Rabil said the indictments do not change his client's assertion that she is innocent of the charges.

"This doesn't change anything," he said.