The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1960-12-30
DEFEBIO DIES BY
OWN HAND IN EAST
TENNESSEE PARK
Man Involved in Violation of CON-
Pulsory School Laws in Dare
Died with $1,000 in Cash
in Pockets


The bearded Frank Joseph De-
Febio who twice served time in
the Dare County Jail for refusing
to send his children to school was
found dead Sunday in a national
park in East Tennessee. He came
to Dare County some IL years
ago, and began life in the old
Coast Guard Station of Paul Gam
iels Hills, north of Kitty Hawk.
Aided and advised by his wife,
Theo DeFabio and some local con-
genital trouble-makers and obvi-
Gus fellow travellers, they at
tempted to make their own laws
for Dare County, and caused much
trouble and expense in that the
county supported his four children
for some months due to court or
ders because he wouldn't properly
support and send his children to
school. He was a most unhappy
man, and once or twice while in
Jail he attempted or simulated at
tempts to commit suicide by slash
ing himself with razor blades.
Mrs. DeFebio was a Washington,
D. C. taxicab driver and was oft
en- seen in the county, she would
write long letters to newspapers
and brought suits against several
local people for a total of $500, 900
alleged damages, all of which
were thrown out Of court. Some
radical newspaper reports in the
North left the impression the fam
lily was being prosecuted here.
Until recently he had been liv-
ing in the Southern Shores area
where he worked at odd jobs and
apparently had saved his money
during long period of time. Sew
eral months ago he had consider
ed buying a mercantile business
at Kitty Hawk beach, with the
money he had saved.
The body was found in East
Tennessee in a section of the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park.
Federal officials considered he died
by his own hands, according to
a news dispatch from Maryville,
Tenn. which said: "The FBI Mon
day was called to check the death
of Kitty Hawk, N. c., man who
officers said apparently shot him
self Christmas Day after driving
his jeep into Little River in the
Great Smoky Mountains National
Park"
The victim was Frank Joseph
DeFebio, about 45. The FBI has
jurisdiction on Federal property.
Officers said the man was first
believed to have been an accident
victim, but doctor at Blount Me-
mortal Hospital found a % cal
bullet wound hidden in his head
by hair. A rifle was found at the
scene of the jeep accident.
At Gatlinburg, Chief Ranger
Bill Watson said DeFebio had left
an unaddressed note which said:
"There is about $4,000 in. my peck
ct. Please send it to Theo De-
Febio, Kitty Hawk. Bury me any
where" Theo. DeFebio, his son is
an honor student in Manteo High
School.
The chief ranger said witnesses
who had seen the jeep accident
asked DeFebio if he needed any
help. They said he replied, "No.'
He was found later lying on his
jeep. Some 1884 was found in
his pockets. Watson said DeFebio
was unshaven and badly in need
of a haircut.
He said the only contact De-
Febio had had with the park came
Saturday night when he was found
sleeping in his jeep at Indian Gar
near the highest point in the peak
on the Tennessee side. A ranger
checking parked vehicles as 8
precaution against carbon monox'
ide deaths and freezing, said De-
Febio then appeared in "gooo
spirits"
Rangers said they had reports
that DeFebio may have been
conscientious objector durin
World War II and was possibly
familiar with the park if he servec
in a park camp for conscientiou!
DIRECTORS.
It was unknown where DeFebit
got his rifle or jeep.
See DEFEBIO, Page Four