September 1, 2026
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North Carolina House Republicans are pressing Democratic state House candidate Shelly Headen to explain two 2024 incidents at her home in which Guilford County sheriff’s deputies responded and reports identified her as a suspect in simple physical assaults.
The reports, released Tuesday by House Republicans, are dated May 30 and Nov. 19, 2024.
Shelly Kates Headen is listed as the lone suspect on the accompanying documentation. Headen’s husband, Gregory Thomas Headen, is named as the victim in both reports.
Both identify the alleged offense as simple physical assault and list the use of only personal weapons.
The May report lists no injury to the victim, while the November report lists an “apparent minor injury.” Both incidents are classified as domestic.
House Republicans state Headen’s husband made both calls to law enforcement.
The documents released by House Republicans consist of incident-report face sheets and suspect lists, but do not include deputies’ narrative accounts describing what allegedly occurred. The records provided also do not establish whether either incident resulted in an arrest or criminal charges.
Former Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes called on Headen, the Democratic nominee in House District 62, to publicly address the incidents. The House Republican release included Barnes’ full statement:
“As the sheriff of Guilford County for 24 years, I’ve seen my share of domestic violence issues. They are always tragic and concerning,” said Barnes. “House District 62 candidate Shelly Headen had two different recent incidents in the last two years where law enforcement was called to her home by her husband. The police reports about the incidents involving assault and using weapons have never been addressed by her or her campaign. They should be.”
Barnes continued: “The citizens of District 62 need to know that their representative can not only make laws, but they can abide by them as well. As disturbing as her silence on these matters is, the fact that North Carolina Democratic Party leaders are not questioning this concerning behavior is also troubling.”
Headen did not respond to Carolina Journal’s request for comment before publication. She has not publicly addressed the two incidents.
The allegations are surfacing in a House district that could be competitive this November. Headen is challenging Republican state Rep. John Blust in House District 62, which covers part of Guilford County.
The John Locke Foundation’s 2026 Civitas Partisan Index rates House District 62 R+2, or “Lean Republican.”
Blust won the district in 2024 by 3,792 votes, defeating Democrat Marjorie Benbow 53.4% to 46.6%, according to certified State Board of Elections results. Neither Blust nor Headen faced a contested primary this year.
Headen and Blust will face each other in the Nov. 3 general election.
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Copyright 2026 John Locke Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
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