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Asheboro, NC (WNN)- Jerry Bledsoe, a semi-local New York Times bestselling author and journalist, died on Dec. 31 at his home in Asheboro. He was 84.
Bledsoe was born in Danville, Virginia, and spent his childhood in Thomasville. He served in the U.S. Army for three years before launching a long-lasting career in journalism. He worked as a reporter and wrote columns for different North Carolina newspapers, including the Greensboro News & Record and publications in Charlotte and Kannapolis. Later on, he took on the role of contributing editor at Esquire magazine.
His seventh book, "Bitter Blood," which looked into killings in Winston-Salem and Kentucky, became a #1 New York Times bestseller. The book was later turned into a TV movie. During his time as a writer, Bledsoe wrote more than 20 books. The books focused on real-life crimes and investigative stories in North Carolina.
Bledsoe's career showed he was ready to cover stories that other journalists avoided. His work, which combined research with storytelling, helped people understand complicated investigations.
At the Rhino Times in Greensboro, he wrote "Cops in Black and White," a 92-part series that ran for three years. It looked into disputes within the Greensboro Police Department.
Bledsoe founded Down Home Press to publish books about North Carolina, helping local writers.
He is survived by his wife, Linda, and his son Erik. The couple lived in Randolph County for most of Bledsoe's adult life.
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