26 Year Old Diana Perez-Barrera Murdered

More than a week ago Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded to a call for service at Turquoise Drive in CMPD's Hickory Grove Division around 6 a.m. on Friday January 19th.

Since then police have released the name of the woman who was shot and killed as Diana Perez-Barrera ago 26.

Diana Perez-Barrera

According to CMPD she was pronounced dead at the scene when police arrived.

A CMPD incident report said the unknown male suspect who shot Perez-Barrera demanded money and moved her and another victim, a 21-year-old man, around the home at gunpoint. 

The suspect shot Perez-Barrera, kidnapped and transported the male victim in the male victim’s vehicle, took him to a second location on Rozzelles Ferry Road, where he “committed other incidents” and stole the male victim’s vehicle, the report said. 

CMPD Crime Scene Investigations was videotaped at 7921 Turquoise Drive which is off Plott Road near Plaza Road Extension. 

9721 Turquoise Drive Charlotte, NC 

The home is owned by Hanh T. Vo. Neighbors say it is rental property owned by Vo since for at least 8 years. 

According to a police report, the victims did not know the suspect. The area while not immune to crime is not really a hotspot for criminal activity. Most the homes in the area are modest single family older homes with kids playing in the street and well cared for yards.

CMPD spokesperson Michael Allinger said Monday that while the male victim was originally reported as being kidnapped, he is not currently missing. The investigation is active and ongoing.

The investigation into this case is active and ongoing. As additional information develops, it will be released by the CMPD’s Public Affairs Office. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit detective. Detective D. Haulsee is the lead detective assigned to this case. The public can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/. For additional information about this case, please refer to the report: 20240119-0554-00.

Cedar's Take: Something is just off. 

First no description of the suspect. 

Second this murder has zero media interest. With no more than 3 column inches given in the local paper and nothing more than a 30 second sound bite on WCNC and other television news outlets. 

Third this is a "home invasion" a random act of extreme violence and the perp has not be arrested or identified.

Fourth nothing further on the victim. 165 candles on Gun Violence yet no obituary no gofundme or memorial page.

What's in a Name? South Charlotte Rapist Santerius Qwayshaw

Santerius Qwayshawn Allen is a violent repeat offender that should not have been lose on Charlotte Streets. But nevertheless he broke into a South Charlotte woman’s home through a window and raped her yesterday. The woman’s teenage daughter was inside during the attack and was able to call 911.

The attack happened shortly after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, at a home located in the 10200 block of Chivalry Drive in south Charlotte. This in the Cady Lake subdivision just of Tom Short and south of I-485 beltway and not Ballantyne as many local media are reporting.

As CMPD officers arrived at the house, they heard a woman screaming inside and immediately made entry and took the suspect, identified as Allen, into custody.

The woman’s daughter who called 911 was not harmed during this attack, police said.

Allen has been charged with felony breaking and entering, first-degree kidnapping, second-degree kidnapping, second-degree rape, second-degree sex offense, sexual battery, and assault on a woman.

Allen is a convicted felon with a violent history outside of the Charlotte area, CMPD said. 

Allen has spent nearly 8 years in prison for offenses. His past arrests include nearly a dozen charges ranging from assault, stolen auto, stolen property, malicious conduct, assault on a corrections official, assault on a probation officer.  He was paroled in 2022 but arrested five times for violating the conditions of his parole. His past criminal history covers both Cleveland and Gaston counties.

Allen has his first court appearance Thursday morning at 10 a.m. He is currently being held without bond.

Beyond his skin color Santerius Qwayshawn is obviously burdened by his given name. Therefore he is clearly beyond rehabilitation regardless of what the liberals appointed to the parole board by our Democrat Governor and Attorney General Josh Stein think. Hopefully today the judge will keep this POS behind bars and hold him for trial as a habitual felon.

Hotel McFadden Where You Can Check Out Anytime You Like

 But you can never leave....

According to a local new report a convicted felon was taken into custody by Mecklenburg County deputies on Friday night. On Saturday morning, he was found dead in his housing unit.

George Wesley Benfield, 43, was arrested and processed Friday night at 8:17 p.m. for charges of violating parole and stealing a vehicle.

He was moved to the detention center in Uptown around 1:45 a.m.The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office announced he was found unresponsive in his housing unit around 3:09 a.m. on Saturday.

Both MEDIC and Charlotte Fire Department attempted life-saving measures. Benfield was pronounced dead at Atrium Main just after 4 a.m.

“Announcing the news of a resident’s passing is always a challenge and remains a consistently difficult task,” said Sheriff McFadden. “Our hearts go out to Mr. Benfield’s family. May they find strength and comfort during this difficult time.”

The State Bureau of Investigation and the MCSO are conducting in-custody death investigations. The county medical examiner is working to determine the cause of death.

Benfield had a long record criminal record dating back 25 years in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties. Most charges were low level felonies and misdemeanors. 

Cedar's Take: Benfield had the sort of record that just makes you smile and shake your head. Just a nonconformist who clearly looked the part. Pulled the police report from the Iredell County arrest, and I nearly spit my coffee. God just created some of us different or as my grandmother would say "that boy ain't right". RIP George Benfield.

3 Homicides with Week One of 2024

Charlotte's never ending black violence - From CMPD:

Monday January 8th - Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Homicide Unit are conducting a homicide investigation in 2400 block of North Tryon Street in the Metro Division. 

On Monday, January 8, 2024, at approximately 2:10 a.m., Metro Division officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon with injury call for service near the 2400 block of North Tryon Street. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim with an apparent gunshot wound.  The Charlotte Fire Department and Medic also responded to the scene.  Medic transported the victim to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.A teenager was shot and killed during a party in northwest Charlotte on Sunday morning, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said. An 18-year-old has been charged in the case.

Sunday January 7th - CMPD Officers went to a house on West Trade Street near the Brookshire Freeway just before 5 a.m. Sunday, where they found 17-year-old Avyon Titus Thomas. Thomas had been shot at the home and died at the scene, authorities said.

Myers Park High School FaceBook post read: “We are deeply saddened to share that Avyon Thomas, a senior here at our school, died early this morning while at a gathering. His passing is a tragedy. Avyon was a loyal friend to his peers and a caring and loving child. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Avyon’s mother, grandmother, family, and friends,” the statement reads.

The suspect in this case has been identified as Jamir Easter (DOB: 10/18/2005).  Mr. Easter turned himself in at the Law Enforcement Center in Uptown (601 E. Trade St.).  Mr. Easter was then interviewed by homicide detectives.  At the conclusion of the interview, Mr. Easter was arrested and transferred into the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Easter was released on bond Sunday and was expected in court on Monday.

Thursday January 4th - The victim in this case has been identified as Ganiyu Ibrahim (DOB: 01/28/1969).  The victim’s next of kin has been notified of his death.

Detectives with the CMPD’s Homicide Unit identified a 16-year-old juvenile suspect in connection to this case.  The suspect turned themselves in at the incident scene and was then transported to the Law Enforcement Center in Uptown (601 E. Trade St.) to be interviewed by detectives.  At the conclusion of the interview, detectives obtained a secure custody order and transported the suspect to a Juvenile Detention Facility in Cabarrus County and charged the juvenile with first degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Tariq Bokhari Charlotte City Council Member OK with Rich / White Violence

Earlier this week Carolina Panther owner David Tepper was fined $300,000.00 by the NFL for his drink toss. His angry violent outburst was apparently directed at a Jacksonville Jaguars fan who was taunting him from in front of his assigned skybox window. 

We have no indication of what the JAX fan was saying but are pretty sure he wasn't quoting Shakespeare. 

The NFL was quick to slap Tepper's wrist with the modest fine. No doubt pocket change for Tepper and the equivalent of about 3 bucks to most of us regular people. 

Tepper would later release a non-apology statement.

This was followed up by Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokari taking to "X" and supporting Tepper.

Now it's no real surprise that Council member Tariq Bokari @FinTechInnov8r would approve of the City’s biggest clown David Tepper throwing his drink at a Jacksonville fan. Bokari is a rabid leghumper of anyone with a big income, nice house or greater than six figure net worth.

Bokhari's use of colorful curse words like shitting and crap are beneath the office he holds and is an embarrassment to our once well thought of southern city as much as Tepper's hubris self entitled behavior. 

But his timing is reflective of what a true a narcist he seems to be. 

Hours prior he was grandstanding his condemnation of "street violence" promising to do anything and everything to take on the impotent judges and courts. He was going to single handedly make a firm stand against a lazy justice system to put a stop to the sort of violence we saw during Sunday's New Year's Eve celebrations Uptown.

Apparently in his play book if you are a white team owner with a net worth in the billions its ok to get violent because after all you are just passionate and you are worth billions. But if you are a 16 year old black street thug we are coming for you!

 

So beware street thugs your property crimes like graffitti and larceny from autos will not be tolerated. Best not spill your drink Uptown or heaven forbid urinate on Tryon Street because we will have a task force!

And to the rest of you in South Charlotte who elected this clown, just remember you elected him so don’t cry when he gives millions to Tepper and puts 12 year olds in prison for sidewalk art.

The Killing Continues

Happy Boxing Day!

From the local paper:

A homicide reported in northwest Charlotte on Christmas Eve is the second high-profile act of gun violence this year on a residential street that is scarcely two blocks long, investigators say. 

Few details have been released by police about the latest shooting, including the identity of the victim. The killing happened around 11 a.m. Sunday in the 1600 block of Flagler Lane. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon and found someone with gunshot wounds in a vehicle. The victim died at the scene, police say. 

Details about a suspect, or additional information about the case, have not been released. 

The shooting comes nine months after a 13-year-old boy was wounded when someone sprayed the family’s Flagler Lane home with gunfire, CMPD reported. He survived after being taken to a local hospital with a bullet wound to the leg, officials said. The boy’s mother and two other children were in the home when the shots were fired around 1:30 a.m. on March 24, CMPD said. “At least 10” shots were fired, the paper reported in March. 

Charlotte's year to date homicide number is somewhat disputed with one week until the end of the year the number should remain below 100.

As of Wednesday December 27, 2023 the body count stands at 81 including justified. 

Cedar Note: 

I was actually thinking of mocking "Boxing Day" when I pulled the latest homicide story from the local paper.  

To be clear I've always been a fan of Muhammad Ali. His appearance at the opening ceremony at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta where he refused defeat or pity as a victim of parkinson's to a flight on USAir out of Charlotte a few year's prior.

But it was the March 1971 fight that cast Ail as "the greatest" forever. UK Columnist Frank Keating put it in perspective back in 2011:

After 14 rounds at dead-level even, both warriors were spent. Well almost, for Frazier at the very last bent low at center-stage and came up with, well, the kitchen sink … an exquisitely timed rock-knuckled left hook of bestial accuracy which smashed into Ali's jaw so grievously that the right side of the big man's face was wonkily out of shape even before the back of his burgundy trunks hit the floor and the little flamboyant red tassels on his boots waved limply up at the ring lights.

The Big Mouth had been shut good and proper. Over and out. The passing Ali legend had, surely, now passed.

What happened in the next few moments, however, was, utterly to confound and rout Ali's enemies and, overwhelmingly, to recharge and reward his believers. He got up. He lived. And so did the legend grow.

By miraculously clawing himself to his feet and attempting to mount a counterattack, the stricken Ali – loser, but still champ – had, in fact, won everything. For eternity. Whatever was to come, that finale in New York settled Ali's imperishable place in history.

Mecklenburg County DA Drops Bo -Time Resisting Arrest and Weapons Charges

Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather has dismissed all charges against Anthony Lee, and Christina Pierre, the two Bojangles employees who were arrested recently. Several videos of their arrest have been widely circulated and show Pierre resisting arrest and CMPD Officers going hand on with the suspect to gain compliance.

Mecklenburg County Spencer Merriweather DA noted "After consideration of the body-worn camera evidence and the various recorded accounts of police and civilian witnesses present, based on the totality of the circumstances, the State does not have a reasonable likelihood of success at any potential trial on this matter."The DA has declined to make any comment on the dismissals. He declined to make any additional comment regarding the dismissals.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings staff posted the following on X:

Cedar's Take: What does it take to get a conviction for attacking a Police Officer (or in this case several officers) in Mecklenburg County?

It is not that Merriwetter took a dismissal but rather the speed in which this tool of the liberal left did so. His actions will do nothing but embolden thugs and hoodrats to continue to do the same.

Many of Charlotte's new residents have fled crime cesspools of the north due to crime being so prevenant. Yet they come to Charlotte and elect the same sort liberals who destroyed their former hometowns. This is a behavior that most of us, even those not in law enforcement can't understand.

Former Mecklenburg District Attorney Andrew Murray would have at least run the cases up the flag pole, and not just toss CMPD Officers under the bus.