Homeless Camp a Killing Field

On Monday, Oct. 6, at approximately 4:02 p.m., CMPD officers responded to an Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Injury call for service in the 6300 block of Barrington Drive. Upon arrival, officers discovered a victim in a wooded area. MEDIC pronounced the victim deceased on scene. 

CMPD arrested Natt Soth (DOB 10/05/1973) in connection with this homicide in the woods behind Devonshire Park in east Charlotte.

Natt Soth Photo Courtesy MCSO

According local new reporter (Joe Bruno), the victim was seen on a gas station surveillance video attacking Soth with a large wooden stick and a slingshot. The victim then went into the woods and Soth followed him a short time later.

CMPD spoke to a witness who says he lives in the woods with the victim. The witness told police that he and the victim were inside their shelter in the woods when Soth and another  male approached them. 

The witness says Soth and the victim got into a fight. The witness says he heard a gunshot and then saw Soth and the male run away in different directions. He then saw the victim was stabbed. 

No explanation has been given about the sound of the gunshot. 

The affidavit says CMPD spoke to Soth and Soth said the victim was "always bothering him" and "hit him with a large stick" and was "shooting rocks at him with his slingshot." 

Soth told police he stabbed the victim when the two were fighting. 

The victim has only been identified as "Juan Doe".

The area referenced is behind the Shell "C" Store and the currently closed Family Dollar. A well worn path can be seen in both Google "Street View" and overhead graphics leading to the encampment. 

The area borders on Cochrane Middle and Devonshire Elementary Schools property and the Devonshire Park Play Ground. 

The courts give Soth's address as 7205 The Plaza (The Quick Trip) and his height as 5'4" weight 150. His next court date will be October 28, 2025.

CMPD Affidavit

On Monday, October 6, 2025, at 1602 hours, CMPD North Tryon Division officers responded to 6330 Barrington Drive in reference to an Assault with Deadly Weapon with injury call for service. 

The unknown victim (Hispanic male) was located with large open wound/laceration to the stomach and pronounced deceased by Medic at 1619 hours.

Detectives and Crime Scene responded and collected evidence on the scene. The scene was in wooded area behind the park. Detectives reviewed video surveillance at the nearby Shell gas station (next to Family Dollar) on The Plaza and observed the victim assault the defendant with large wooden stick and slingshot. The victim then went into the woods and the defendant followed shortly afterwards.

Detectives spoke with witness who stated he lives in a shelter in the woods behind the park. 

The witness stated the victim was staying with him in the shelter. The witness stated he and the victim were inside the shelter when an Asian male, the defendant, and Black male approached the entranceway. 

The defendant told him to leave and when he did he heard an altercation between the defendant and the victim. 

He stated he was walking away when he heard single gunshot and turned around to see the defendant running away towards the Family Dollar and the Black male running towards the park. He went back to the shelter and found the victim had been stabbed and ran to find someone with phone to call 911.

Detectives spoke with defendant who stated the victim was always bothering him. He stated the victim hit him with large stick and was shooting rocks at him with his slingshot. 

He stated the victim went into the woods to his shelter and he went to confront him. He went to the victim's shelter and stated he was assaulted by the victim and another Hispanic male. 

The other Hispanic male had knife, but he dropped it and the defendant grabbed the knife. The defendant stated he got into physical altercation with the victim and he stabbed him with the knife and then ran away towards the Family Dollar.

This Detective is seeking charges on Natt Soth (A/M, 10/05/1973) for 1st degree Murder.

Cedar's Take:

Asian homeless is unusual. Soth has no known criminal record in North Carolina. "Juan Doe" may be a different story. The fact that homeless are permitted to remain in an area between a Middle and Elementary School and a neighborhood park is unacceptable. 

But apparently this has been going on for several years. Again liberal Charlotte City Council members, a police department overwhelmed and understaffed. Add to the mix courts, judges and a District Attorney that are ineffective, no one should be surprised.

Given the limited facts I'd suggest the little Asian guy had endured enough of the crazy Mexican. Life is cheap in Charloot. Dirt cheap given the inability of Charlotte's City Council to deal with issues such as homelessness.