South Charlotte Homicide Updated

South Charlotte is not normally a location you'd expect to find a homicide investigation. So my drive in to work this morning was a surprise from the start.

I can deal with idiot drivers, but a dozen CMPD marked and unmarked SUV's and the news media blocking traffic is a little much.

According to WSOC news A homicide investigation got underway Monday morning in south Charlotte, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said.

The trouble with WSOC is they call the street "Read Road" and claim that the road was closed. Neither are correct.

According to one neighbor the car had been stopped in the road with the flashers on since around 12:45 am.

According to WSOC reports are that Police were called around 5:30 a.m. for a disabled vehicle.

Seems the vehicle in question with Colorado tags may have been parked in the Northbound lane of Rea Road between I-485 and Piper Glen Drive sometime before midnight.

Once on the scene CMPD Officers quickly determined that there was a victim and the victim was deceased. 

CMPD has identified the deceased as 36 year old Derrick Byas.

Photo MCSO April 2023

The official statement from CMPD:

Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Homicide Unit are conducting a homicide investigation in the 7300 block of Rea Road in the South Division.

On Monday, July 8, shortly before 5:30 a.m., officers responded to a vehicle disabled call for service in the 7300 block of Rea Road.  Upon arrival, officers discovered a victim with a gunshot wound. MEDIC pronounced the victim deceased on the scene.

Homicide Unit detectives responded to the scene to conduct an investigation, and Crime Scene Search responded to process the scene and collect physical evidence. Representatives from CMPD’s Operations Command, Victim Services and CFD also assisted.

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 Buhr is the lead detective assigned to this case. 

Update 7/19/2024

Eric Anthony Watson age 42 was processed into the Mecklenburg County jail this morning after being transported from Lancaster, South Carolina.

Photo MCSO July 19, 2024

Watson an Indian Land resident is charged in the robbery and murder of Derrick Byas age 36 last Monday on Rea Road near the I-485 Exit.

Update According to CMPD:

On July 8th, 2024, Officers responded to the intersection of Rea Rd. and I-485 in reference to disabled vehicle call for service. Upon arriving and inspecting the surrounding area, the victim was located deceased in the woods off the side of Rea Rd. The victim's vehicle was parked in the right travel lane with the hazard lights on.

Detectives observed gunshot wound to the left side of the victim's head. discharged cartridge case was located in the victim's vehicle, and another was located next to the victim's body.

The victim's friends and family stated he is known to carry two cell phones. The victim's friends and family provided different phone numbers that had been used to contact the victim previously. Detectives searched did not locate the victim's cell phones, wallet, or keys to the vehicle at the scene.

Detectives obtained phone records on the three numbers provided by the victim's family. The victim was located at bar/club known as The Peace Pipe just prior to the incident. 

The victim's friends and family advised the victim took an emergency call and left abruptly to go and meet someone. The victim left the bar/club and approximately 2330 hrs. on July 7th, 2024.

Detectives reviewed the victim's records for one of the numbers and located call with 410-598-2773 at approximately 2318 hrs. on July 7th, 2024. Detectives obtained audio and video from the bar/club that captures the victim on the phone at approximately 2318 hrs. The victim is speaking about exchanging locations with someone and coming to meet them while on speakerphone. The victim leaves at approximately 2330 hrs. The victim's records show one of the numbers remained at the bar/club and the other numbers traveled from the bar/club and arrived at the scene at around the time of the incident. 

Witnesses in the neighborhood of the incident heard shots occurring at around the time of the victim's arrival at approximately 2345 hrs.

A silver sedan is seen leaving the scene with the hazard lights on toward Rea Rd. and Piper Glen Dr. shortly after the shots are heard. The vehicle makes U-turn and heads towards I-485. 

The victim's records show the two phone numbers he traveled to the scene with leave the scene and travel down Johnston Rd. outbound from 1-485. The records are consistent with vehicle located on Real Time Crime Center cameras that is also consistent with the vehicle leaving the scene. This vehicle passes through FLOCK cameras and SC Tag: 830 ADG was captured. The two phone numbers that leave the scene eventually turn off.

The tag comes back to 2020 dark gray Lexus IS300 registered to female at 848 Kathy Dianne Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707. Detectives researched 410-598-2773 and found it was associated with Eric Watson in database available to law enforcement. Eric Watson lives at 848 Kathy Dianne Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707.

Detectives obtained phone records for 410-598-2773. The records show that the phone number was in the location of the incident at around the time of the incident. 410-598-2773 has several records in the area of 848 Kathy Dianne Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707.

Detectives are seeking charges for Murder and Robbery with Dangerous Weapon. 

Watson is currently being held without bond. His next court date in Monday July 22, 2024 at 10:00 AM.

Update July 22 2024 13:14 Judge Jennifer Fleet denied bond for the defendant and bound him over to August 8th a little more than two weeks. Apparently the heat she got from releasing a rapist and murderer had at least a small impression on her.  

Brent Simpson E.O.W. July 1, 2024

An officer has died in the hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday afternoon, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.

“Preliminary information indicates one CMPD officer suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was transported to a local hospital, and succumbed to his injuries,” CMPD confirmed.

On Monday afternoon, CMPD identified the officer as K-9 Officer Brent Simpson who was a graduate of the 148th Recruit Class and served with CMPD since 2006.

Officers with the Steele Creek Division responded to calls Monday afternoon, July 1, in the 7300 block of Steele Creek Road, just south of the CLT Airport, where Simpson was found.

CMPD said Officer Simpson was assigned to the K-9 unit and faithfully served alongside his K-9 partner, Levi, for six years.

Before joining CMPD, Officer Simpson served in the U.S. Navy as an Operation Specialist with the Military Police for four years.

“His life and service will never be forgotten. Please say a prayer for Officer Simpson’s loved ones and fellow officers during this difficult time,” CMPD said Monday afternoon.

Woman Raped and Murdered - Her Killer Free on Insane Low Bond.

Michelle Schechter, 27, was murdered on June 16, 2024, on Glenwood Drive in Charlotte, NC 

On June 16 just around 10:20 PM CMPD Officers were dispatched to Econo Lodge at 4115 Glenwood Drive, Suite 248 in reference to an assault with a deadly weapon with injury call.

Upon arrival, Officers located the victim, Michelle Lynn Eakin Schechter who was being treated by Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) for gunshot wound. The victim stated to CFD that she was raped before being transported by Medic to Atrium Pineville where she died less than an hour later.

CMPD Detectives reviewed surveillance footage and observed the suspect Raphael Omar Wright, Jr. park a black Ford Fusion at the hotel. Wright was then seen using his phone before going to the victim's room, about 10 minutes later the victim was seen running from her room while holding her back. 

Moments later the suspect exited the victim's room and left in his vehicle. No one else was seen entering or exiting the victim's room between the time when the suspect arrived and when he left the scene.

The license plate of the Ford Fusion, SC tag UKI-199 is registered to the suspect, Raphael Omar Wright Jr. (B/M, DOB 08/01/2001). Wright matches the description of the suspect seen in the surveillance footage. Detectives processed the victim's room and located the victim's cell phone. Data from the victim's cell phone showed the victim had received a text message from the suspect which stated, "I'm parking," at the same time as when the suspect had parked.

Wright was later located in Rock Hill at 2311 Nuthatch Drive and arrested by York County, Rockhill and CMPD officers.

Originally a Mecklenburg County Magistrate issued that bond order at $50,000 but due to the nature of the crime it was automatically reviewed by Judge Jennifer Fleet.

Judge Jennifer Fleet gave him a $50K secured bond.

Within hours, he posted it and was released from the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff.

Outrage over the insanely low bond was swift, following social media posts by WSOC's Joe Bruno and Hunter Sáenz.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings was not pleased issuing the following statement:

Today, a suspect who was charged with First Degree Murder and First Degree Rape was released after posting bond that was set at $50,000 by a Mecklenburg County District Court judge. Disappointed doesn’t begin to describe how I feel in the decision to set a bond that low for a suspect charged with such serious violent felonies. I have always maintained that there is no bond amount that is sufficient for a community’s peace of mind regarding their safety. This type of bond amount for Murder is exactly what I worked to eliminate when I advocated for the Pre-Trial Integrity Act that was signed into law in 2023. The CMPD takes violent offenses against our community members seriously and we utilize all available resources to hold those offenders accountable. We continue to ask our judicial partners to do the same.

A few hours later Meck DA Spencer Merriweather released his own statement:

The District Attorney’s office is ethically prohibited from commenting on any specific pending case. Our prosecutors regularly ask for defendants charged in homicide and other violent offenses to be detained in custody pending trial.

Shortly after US Senator Thom Tillis:

$50K bail posted by a suspect charged with first degree murder and rape. This judge is an absolute disgrace to the criminal justice system. What a slap in the face to the victim’s family and a betrayal of @CMPD and the brave officers putting their lives at risk to keep Charlotte safe. #ncpol

Former Meck County Commissioner Matthew Ridenhour also spoke up filling in gaps and adding a few more details.

I'd like to introduce to you Judge Jennifer Fleet, pictured being sworn in, a Mecklenburg County District Court Judge. On Friday, she gave an 'alleged' murderer and rapist a $50k bond. Yes, you read that correctly. This guy is probably halfway to Mexico by now.

She's a hyper-progressive judge who has a history of setting low (or none at all!) bail amounts.

Remember that 19 year old woman who broke into 197 cars in a 30 day period last winter? $165k unsecured bond, which means the woman didn't actually have to post any money. Or how about the 19 year old that shot and killed a 14 year old? The state recommended not to release him on bond--but Judge Fleet let him out on $250k bond. In 2018, Mecklenburg was divided into several districts for District Court, and we had several excellent GOP District Court judges. Three Democrat judges filed suit in 2019 (Judges Cureton, Best, Brooks), and now District Court judges are elected countywide. Unsurprisingly, now 21 of 21 Mecklenburg District Court Judges are Democrats. And this is what we get. Remember, we don't have to live like this. But progressives ensure that we do.

Cedar's Take:

Understand that the $50,000.00 bond required Wright to only "promise" to pay $4,500.00 in cash to which he produced only $2,400.00 before being released.

The only requirements of his release is no contact with witnesses and "banned" from the location of the crime.

Electronic monitoring was not required.

This girl's life was was worth all of $2,400.00 to this judge.

Wright's next court date is July 17, 2024 at 1:30 in courtroom.

Cedar Update:

I'm not going to judge this angel. Y'all need to understand there are people who are heartbroken. Regardless of why she was at this cheap hotel.

Miss Schechter was just 1 of 57 homicides in the first six months of this year. 7 of those are women and 17 are young people under the age of 18.

World Class Ship Hole

Charlotte City Council is likely going to give David Tepper a $650 million dollar payday. 

But the clowns who make these decisions are no less arrogant than the Classless King Rube himself. 

Sure bright shiny new things are fun.Light rail,uptown parking benches, gay pride murals.

OK Fine whatever makes you happy.

But $650 million is comical at best.

Head out South Blvd, it doesn't take long go just four miles to Woodlawn. Along the way you'll pass a couple homeless camps and a dozen or so panhandlers. Trash lined streets and sidewalks in what was once a fairly OK part of Charlotte. But no more.

As long as it is not raining you can manage to navigate the area of South Blvd and Woodlawn but the lack of pavement markings around Woodlawn are confusing, more so if you are inbound approaching Woodlawn because the lack of lane markings makes it hard to tell which lane is left and which is a through lane.

Add a summer thunderstorm and the streets become a no-man's land of drive where you what if you dare. 

Outbound past Woodlawn is worse there are no lane markings whatsoever.

Between BofA stadium and Woodlawn there are 3 traffic lights with non functional bulbs.Street lights are pretty good after dusk with no more than every sixth or eighth light dark. 

Trash cans at bus stops haven't been emptied in weeks.

My father used to preach "start with your socks" in other words if you don't take care of the small things until later you'll look pretty funny with your socks over your shoes and under ware on top of your pants.

Maybe Charlotte City Council should start with their socks, fix the streets, take care of the homeless and repair some potholes, before giving a billionaire another 1/2 a billion?

 

CMPD More on the Outer Carrier Vests

 Local Charlotte media is portraying the discussion regarding CMPD's lack of outer carrier vests as a "battle" and "fight.

It should not be a fight or a battle. CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings is a solid opponent of the vests. 

His biggest argument is regarding the image it gives Officers.

The argument about image however is totally without merit. 

Here's a local example:

In tourist dependent Pinehurst, North Carolina where image is everything all Police Officers wear outer carrier vests.

Speaking with Officers yesterday at the US Open they agreed, the vests are far superior. They speak of  weight distribution, comfort, the lack of back injury from heavy duty belts and most importantly safety.

As one Office said "It is far better if you are thin and don't own at lot of real estate around your middle".

The same is true with next door Southern Pines, North Carolina where the small department has also adopted outer vests. As one Southern Pines Officer told me he was surprised that Charlotte "of all places has not moved past the antiquated duty belts of the 1900's" pointing out the tired design has been basically unchanged for the last 100 years. 

You can read and if you like sign the petition here.

Serious Question for CMPD

Morning

I'm going to bump this up a little.

"If you don’t sign this petition then I never want to hear any of you complain ever again about anything at CMPD. If a majority of your colleagues want to bring about much-needed change at the department and you decide not to help in their fight, then don’t speak another word about your grievances. We don’t care to hear them because we know you won’t stand with your brothers and sisters on a simple issues like true employee wellness."

https://www.change.org/p/approve-outer-carrier-vests-for-charlotte-mecklenburg-police-officers

So, what are your thoughts? 

Personally I don't buy into the "scary" tactical look or unprofessional aspect of the argument against switching to outer carrier vests. I see no merit to the "public will be intimidated" complaint either.

I get it Police Offices won't look the same or will they? Kinda hard to say given the photo above. But even if they do look different to some people sadly Police work is not the same as it was even ten years ago. Today's duty belt is crazy heavy and who knows what kind of additional weapons command will want you to carry around next. 

I'm not active duty so I have no skin in the outcome of this issue.

So you tell me.

Will a bunch of signatures on a this petition help?

Happy to promote if that's what y'all need.

And one more thing.....

"Let's be careful out there".

CP

By the way here are just a few of the Law Enforcement agencies using the vest currently:

Los Angeles Police Department,  Chicago Police Department,  Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Torrington, WY Police Department,  Nevada Highway Patrol DPS,   Arizona Highway Patrol DPS, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Forest Service,  Kentucky State Police Troopers,   Mesa, AZ Police Department,   Champaign, IL Police Department, Manhattan Beach Police Department,   The Oceanside Police Department,  Las Vegas Police Department,   San Diego County Sheriff's Department,   The Hawthorne Police Department,   The Santa Monica Police Department,   The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department   Orange County Sheriff's Department, The Kern County Sheriff's Department, Kingsville, TX Police Department   California Department of Motor Vehicles  The Pasadena Police Department   The Redondo Beach Police Department   The Chico Police Department   The Stockton Police Department 

File this under Mom's Gonna Be Pissed - Avery Sehorn Arrested

According to local media, the daughter of actress Angie Harmon and ex-NFL star Jason Sehorn has been arrested after being accused of breaking into a Charlotte night club.

Harmon's daughter, 18-year-old Avery Sehorn, was arrested after police say she and two others broke into World Night Club on Music Factory Boulevard.

One of the club owners said that Sehorn and two 17-year-old boys broke in through a back door, then hid behind his bar and drank his liquor.

According to the warrant, the trio is accused of stealing six bottles of liquor worth $500 last Thursday. The owner says one of his cleaning crews caught them. He says the teens ran off but were caught by police shortly after.

Social media posts show Avery graduated from Charlotte Christian School on June 2nd. She is set to attend the University of Alabama this fall.

                                                                            Angie Harmon with daughters Avery, Finley and Emery. 

A post on People Mag's website states:

"On Sunday, June 2, the actress, 51, shared a post in honor of her daughter Avery Grace, 18, who graduated from high school."

The post goes on to add: “We are all immensely proud of you Avery!,” Harmon wrote in her Instagram caption as she posed alongside her three daughters Avery, Finley Faith, 20, and Emery Hope, 15, who she shares with her ex-husband Jason Sehorn.

The club owner says surveillance video of what happened does exist, but he doesn’t plan to release it.