A pastor jailed on robbery charges dies

A Charlotte pastor arrested in January in connection with nine armed robberies of businesses has died, WBTV confirmed Friday.

John Thomas Lindsey, 47, was taken to a hospital on Monday and died there on Thursday, according to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. The cause of death wasn’t immediately known.

Lindsey was a pastor of True Love Church of Refuge on Nations Ford Road.

He was awaiting trial on nine counts each of robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

In a statement posted Friday on its Facebook page, the church said: “The True Love Church of Refuge family is deeply saddened to announce the sudden loss of our beloved Apostle John T. Lindsey, Overseer and Senior Pastor,” the church posted on its Facebook page on Friday. “Please continue to pray with us as we go through this difficult time.”

Lindsey’s funeral is scheduled for 1 p.m. June 12 at Mission Church of the Lord Jesus Christ on Amay James Avenue. The viewing will begin at noon.