Beloved NC gas station clerk allegedly killed by registered sex offender after vanishing from home: deputies

A beloved North Carolina gas station clerk was killed by a registered sex offender after vanishing from her home, deputies say.

Robin Doyle, 58, was reported missing on July 28 after she was last seen the previous day by a family member. When deputies showed up to her home in Hickory, North Carolina, she wasn't there, according to the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.

After Doyle was found dead on Friday in a wooded area of northeastern Catawba County, 54-year-old Leroy Allen Loper was arrested on charges of felony murder, first-degree kidnapping and concealment of death.

Loper is a registered sex offender with previous felony convictions for first-degree kidnapping and second-degree forcible sexual offense, officials added.

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He is being held at the Catawba County Detention Facility with no bond.

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"We are deeply saddened for Robin Doyle's family as they continue to endure an unimaginable loss. While today's charges mark a significant step in this investigation, they cannot undo the pain this family has suffered. The acts in this case represent pure evil, and those responsible will be held fully accountable under the law. This investigation remains active, and we will continue pursuing every fact until justice is fully served," Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown said.

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Those who knew Doyle described her to WBTV as a kind woman who was a fixture behind the counter at the gas station where she worked.

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"She was one of the sweetest, most generous, kindhearted, amazing people you’ll ever meet in your life," said Corban Worley. "Her car is not here nor her warm smile, welcoming when you came into the store."

At the Propst Superette, where Doyle worked, a tribute on the store read, "Robin, the world wasn’t ready for you to leave, but heaven needed you home."