MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - Police in North Myrtle Beach say a Gastonia woman and her husband lied about her drowning and filed a false police report so she wouldn't have to appear in a NC court.

As emergency crews searched a popular beach along the Carolina coast for 42-year-old Amy Arrington, a Mecklenburg County judge issued an order for her arrest.

She'd been reported missing since Saturday.

She was scheduled to appear in court on Monday for a habitual felon trial and never showed. Arrington has charges for identity theft and forgery among other things.

Prosecutors tell WBTV, they didn't realize Arrington was missing until Monday morning and certainly didn't expect the back story.

WBTV has learned that out-of-state witnesses were in court Monday morning ready to testify against Arrington.

Investigators say finding Amy Arrington safe and sound is their number one priority, but they can't ignore the fact that, once again, she failed to appear in court on Monday.

Her attorney was expected to come back Monday afternoon to strike the order for arrest, but he never showed. This isn't the first time Arrington has missed a court date.

Prosecutors tell WBTV her attorney provided an ER note when she failed to appear in court.

WBTV has also learned that Arrington has prior felony convictions. Her criminal record spans two decades.

In April of 1992, she was charged with credit card theft, larceny, and financial card fraud, according to public records.

In 2005, records show that she was hit with 12 different charges, including identity fraud/theft and Cheat – property/services.

According to the State of North Carolina, Arrington has served more than 3 years behind bars.

Her most recent charges of identity theft and forgery still need to be handled in the court of law.

Her disappearance over the weekend has put those proceedings on hold.

Prosecutors tell WBTV Arrington may be missing, but that doesn't change what she faces legally.

Monday evening, WBTV went to the Lowell address listed on Arrington's missing persons report. The man who lives in the home said he moved in five months ago, but that police came to their door on Saturday night.

"We went to the door and it was the Lowell police. And they were asking if Amy lived here. Any time police show up at 10:30 at night, it's always nerve racking," he said.

He said he had only met Arrington twice, but that her mail and probation officer still came to his address.

"It adds a little bit of intrigue, but you definitely don't want to police showing up at your door," he said.

Source: http://www.live5news.com/story/25959254/arrest-warrants-issued-for-woman-missing-in-north-myrtle-beach

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