The Oak Island Police Department has issued a public statement criticizing The NC Beat’s reporting on the death of Patrice Jones Bass — while acknowledging they never informed the public that a 40-year-old woman had died at a popular 4-story beach condominium complex, Ocean Walk Condominiums.
In a lengthy response published Tuesday, the department called the article “tabloidism” and accused it of spreading “misinformation.” They defended their investigation, stating it remains an open death investigation and has not been classified as a homicide although The NC Beat never identified the case a homicide.
They also claimed that initial reports from the medical examiner indicate injuries consistent with a fall. While we are not naïve to the fact that various circumstances could lead a person to fall from a balcony, the family’s concerns about the investigation and lack of transparency remain valid and deserve to be taken seriously.
However, the department’s own statement raises serious questions about transparency.
According to Oak Island police, they conducted a full investigation with multiple officers, the Criminal Investigation Division, neighborhood canvassing, and interviews. Yet for nearly two months, the public — including residents and visitors in a town that relies heavily on tourism — was given zero official information that a woman had died at Ocean Walk Condominiums on May 17, 2026.
In contrast, when two people were found dead inside a home in Oak Island in August 2025, the town quickly issued a public notice explaining there was “no previous or imminent danger” and that the matter was under investigation.
No such notice was issued in the Patrice Jones Bass case.
The department stated they are awaiting full autopsy and toxicology results and that “exact details cannot and will not be released to the public at this time” to protect the privacy of the immediate family.
Notice that the department never refuted the timeline provided by Rachael Andrews, the “we never find out the why” text message, the delayed phone code request, the lack of witnesses questioned, or the fact that they issued no public notice about Patrice Jones Bass’s death for nearly two months.
They are mainly upset that we reported the legitimate concerns of Bass’s family and friends and questioned the lack of transparency — not that we published any false facts.
This is a classic deflection tactic: attack the messenger instead of addressing the substantive issues raised by those closest to the victim.
The NC Beat’s reporting was based on direct statements from Andrews, who had been in communication with “Detective Sergeant”Bradly Stevens. She described a troubling timeline, conflicting explanations from police, and the fact that no witnesses were questioned.
The police statement claims they responded to The NC Beat’s request for comment despite the Independence Day holiday. However, prior to publication, The NC Beat attempted to obtain comment from the Oak Island Police Department on multiple occasions. A phone message was left the week of June 30, followed by a formal email request sent on Friday, July 3, to Chief Charles A. Morris II in an effort to create a paper trail.
Approximately one hour later, we received a response from Michael Emory, the Town’s Communications Manager, with Chief Morris and three other individuals copied. The reply stated that all administrative offices for the Town of Oak Island were closed on Friday, July 3, 2026, in observance of Independence Day.
The department did not provide a substantive response before the article was published on July 6. It was only after the story became public that the Oak Island Police Department issued a statement — one that criticizes our reporting rather than addressing the family and friends legitimate concerns.
The core issue remains: A woman died under circumstances that raised legitimate questions from her own family and friends. For weeks, the only information available came from those closest to her — not from the police department tasked with investigating her death.
Oak Island police say they are committed to a “thorough and objective investigation.” The public deserve to see that commitment reflected in timely and transparent communication — not just criticism of those asking questions.
This story is developing. The NC Beat will continue to report on the death of Patrice Jones Bass and any updates from the investigation.
