LIfe In Charloot Is Cheap

This week Mecklenburg District Attorney Spencer Merriweather decided to pled the First Degree Murder Charge against a violent felon named Gregory Dowana down to Voluntary Manslaughter with a minimum prison sentence of 6 1/2 years. 

Given credit for the his time already served Gregory Dowana will be released back on the streets of Charlotte in May of 2031. Yes murder in Charlotte is just a five year prison gig. Life indeed in Charlotte is cheap.

Of course this didn't please the victim's family who would undoubtedly like you to think of Des-Mon Thompson age 34 as a nice young man with his whole life ahead of him.

The reality of course is that Thompson was probably more like his most recent mugshot.

According to CMPD Thompson and Dowana were known to each other and had run ins before. 

On the night of Saturday February 8, 2025 Thompson and Dowana crossed paths again. Thompson at 6 foot 2 towered over the one foot shorter 5 foot 2 Dowana. They obviously were not friends when they had words at the crowded  "Walker's Express" referred to as the "To Go" in the CMPD reports.

From the CMPD Press Release:

Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Homicide Unit are conducting a homicide investigation in the 3400 block of Freedom Drive in the Metro Division.

On Saturday, February 8, shortly before 6:00 p.m., officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon with injury call for service in the 3400 block of Freedom Drive. The male victim left the scene in a private vehicle before officers arrived. He was brought to Atrium Health Mercy with a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the hospital.

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 also assisted.

Charlotte, N.C. – (Sunday, February 9, 2025) – The victim in this case has been identified as Des’mon Thompson, 34. The victim’s family has been notified of his death.

On Sunday, February 9, 2025, Metro Division patrol officers arrested Gregory Dowana, 29, for his involvement in this case. He was transported to the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) in Uptown (601 E. Trade St.) to speak to detectives. At the conclusion of the interview, Mr. Dowana was transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives have charged Dowana with the following:

• Murder

Thompson’s family has been notified of the arrest.

This was not Dowana's first rodeo. In fact he had been arrested just a month earlier for New Year's Eve threats made via cellphone to another Charlotte man named Jack Collins. 

According to that arrest warrant Dowana called Collins stating that he would kill Mr. Collins or anyone from his side of the family.

Dowana was arrested on January 15 on the make threat charges and released less than 24 hours later on an unsecured bond. 

The night of the shooting and murder.

CMPD Affidavit:

On February 8, 2025, at 1741 hours, officers responded to the To Go gas station at 3416 Freedom Drive in reference to an assault with deadly weapon with injury. 

The victim, Des'mon Thompson, left the scene before officers arrived and went to Atrium Health Mercy. He had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased by Dr. Zauner at 1842 hours. 

The suspect, Gregory Dowana, remained on scene to speak with officers. The case is being investigated as a murder under Complaint #20250208174102.

Detectives reviewed video from the security cameras at the incident location It shows the victim in the store at the counter and then go outside to black Hyundai Elantra. He interacted with the driver of black Jaguar, later identified as Gregory Dowana, in the parking lot before going back into the store. 

He picked up drink can and approached the register. The Jaguar pulled up to a gas pump, and the victim watched. He appeared to become jittery. The victim paid for merchandise at the register, and the suspect entered the store. 

The two interacted further, and the victim walked towards the door. He stopped and talked with the suspect. The suspect sprayed the victim in the face with something. The victim pulled gun from under his left arm and retreated down an aisle. 

The suspect pulled gun and shot.in the direction of the victim. He had a gun in each hand. The victim ran out of the store with something in his hand. The suspect followed and shot out of the front door in the direction of where the victim ran. He reloaded one of his guns with new magazine. 

The victim entered the passenger side of the Hyundai Elantra after the passenger moved to the driver's seat. The victim appeared to-be bleeding from the leg. The suspect went back into the store and made phone call on his cellphone. There were numerous people in the store when the incident occurred.

Detectives spoke with multiple witnesses. They advised that the victim and the suspect appeared to know each other and were friendly at first, but then they started arguing. The suspect sprayed the victim with pepper spray and then pulled outa gun and shot at the victim, even as he ran from the store. 

The victim fell as he was trying to get to his vehicle. Two of the witnesses believed that the victim had firearm and fired back at the suspect.

The person who drove the victim to the hospital told detectives that the suspect had been harassing her for an extended period of time. The victim and suspect had verbal argument in January 2025.

Crime Scene search collected discharged cartridge casing of two different calibers in the area where the suspect was seen shooting in addition to numerous projectiles and pieces of copper jacketing inside and outside the store.

Crime Scene Search also collected two handguns and rifle as well as extra magazines and ammunition from the suspect's vehicle.

There was no damage or fired evidence to indicate that the victim fired weapon There was not another firearm located on scene or in the victim' vehicle.

Based on these facts, I request a warrant for Gregory Deddeh Dowana for the murder of Des'mon Thompson.

Here's were things get problematic. The African American Community in Charlotte is a culture of violence. This behavior is accepted as normal. Six PM on a Saturday night some homeboy disrespects you, so you put him is his place and tell him about his momma and then he pulls out a weapon and you smoke his ass.

In Black Charlotte everyone has guns and no one has any self-control.

The people who make up Black Charlotte think this is normal and the jury that would hear the case would clearly feel the same way. Not one Black Juror could vote to convict this guy because they have all accepted that the African American Community is in fact a Culture of Violence, accepting criminality and gun play as normal.

DA Merriweather knows this and that no Charlotte Jury would convict the likes of Gregory Dowana based on the fact that Thompson had a weapon. Never mind Dowana's prior arrests or that Thompson was clearly retreating, Merriweather knowns the chances of getting a conviction were slim and none. 

It would not matter to Black Charlotte that Dowana had 3 guns in his possession at the time of the incident. 

The Sentence:

In consideration of sentencing Judge William T. Stetzer accepted the following aggravating factors:

8. The defendant knowingly created great risk of death to more than one person by means of weapon or device which would normally be hazardous to the lives of more than one person. 

12. The defendant committed the offense while on pretrial release on another charge. 

13a.The defendant committed an offense and knew or reasonably should have known that person under the age of 18 who was not involved in the commission of the offense was in position to see or hear the offense. 

Additionally the judge found that "the Court makes no findings of any mitigating factors".

Mecklenburg County Judge William T. Stetzer still sentenced the defendant to a minimum of 80 months 6.66 years. Dowana was given credit for 461 days so he'll send right around five years in prison.

Cedar's Take:

As much as I believe that violent felons like Dowana will re-offend and that this felon will in fact kill again due to his short man issue, DA Merriweather was correct in offering a plea deal. There is no way a "jury of peers" would convict a Black Man of this crime in our city because they believe that violence is just a fact of life for Black Charlotte. 

Still incarceration saves lives. 

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles National Police Week Fallen Officer Smith

From Mayor Vi Lyles:

"This week is National Police Week – a time to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women of @CMPD  and law enforcement agencies across the country.

We also remember those who gave their lives in the line of duty and stand with the families who carry the legacy forward.

Thank you for your service and commitment to our community."

If you were to ask her, without a script she'd be unable to name one fallen CMPD Officer.

My requests for help repairing the Officer Robert L. Smith memorial has been met with crickets from the Mayor's Office.

And crickets as well from CMPD Chief Patterson. However, CP understands she has been made aware of the concern. Officers I've spoken to and some in command were not aware of the situation but have offered to help.

Since CP first made mention of the memorial someone has removed the faded photo and the plastic cover.

However, this uncovered a larger issue. At one point the memorial had a bronze relief image of Officer Smith. Then at some point the bronze image was removed and the make do fix installed. Shoddy work by someone perhaps with the county. Now the memorial has four screw holes in it that were not necessary had the bronze image been replaced.

Charlotte citizens are happy to write the check to fix this but still waiting to hear from Meck Park and Rec.

CP's Take: If anyone has a suggestion as how to move this effort to repair the market along I'd appreciate the assist.

CedarPosts@gmail.com

CP Update: With the help of CMPD Officers, and Mecklenburg County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell and others, Mecklenburg County Park and Rec staff stepped up and promised action to make the needed repairs.

Charlotte FOP Lodge 9 President Dan Redford has also contacted CP to offer assistance.

It might be a few weeks but Park and Rec staff promised results. We will stay on it and let you know.

The Murder of Isabella Stroupe

Warning: The details of this homicide are disturbing. 

Last week, police were called to an apartment off Albemarle Road, where inside - they found the body of 19-year-old Isabella Stroupe. 

Isabella Mary Alexander Stroupe

Her boyfriend, Thomaz Hamilton, called 911 saying she stopped breathing.

According to court records - police found her in the apartment with minimal clothing and bound to the bed with a towing strap. There were multiple injuries on her body. 

Hamilton told police the two were having sex when Isabella had a suspected heart attack.

But the medical examiner did an autopsy, ruled it a homicide and said Isabella suffered multiple broken and fractured bones and stab wounds -- and that Isabella was likely being tortured over a period of several months. 

The medical examiner said she would not have been able to consent to sex

Thomaz Hamilton was arrested and charged with rape and first degree murder. 

While searching the apartment, CMPD found a knife wrapped in cellophane with suspected blood, a baseball bat, sword, and broken cell phones. A blood stained mattress & clothes were also found.

Hamilton will have another court hearing on May 2, 2006, and for now will be held without bond.

CMPD Affidavit:

On 05/01/2026 at approximately 0335 hours, Hickory Grove officers were dispatched to the QT located at 6721 Albemarle Road. The caller, Thomaz Kenon Hamilton (Hamilton) (B/M, 02/22/2002), advised that the victim (his girlfriend), Isabella Mary Alexandria Stroupe (Stroupe) (W/F, 10/30/2006), stopped breathing. 

Hamilton advised that Stroupe was at their residence located at 6627 Yateswood Drive, Apartment E. Officers and Medic arrived at the apartment and located Stroupe inside the residence. Medic 68 (Alerand Partow, 11672) pronounced Stroupe deceased at 0343 hours. 

Homicide and Crime Scene were requested and responded to the scene.

Detectives conducted search of Hamilton's residence, pursuant to search warrant. Inside, detectives and Crime Scene located Stroupe in bedroom with minimal clothing and bound with tow strap. Multiple injuries were noted on Stroupe. The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office was contacted and Stroupe was transported for an autopsy. 

A search of the residence revealed knife wrapped in cellophane with suspected blood, baseball bat, sword, multiple cell phones (some broken apart), clothing with suspected blood and mattress with suspected blood.

Detectives conducted voluntary interview with Hamilton. Hamilton advised that he was in dating relationship and lived with Stroupe. 

Hamilton advised that during the incident, he was using his penis to have vaginal intercourse with Stroupe when she had suspected heart attack. Hamilton advised detectives that no one else lived in the apartment and no one else was present at the time of the incident.

On 05/04/2026, detectives were contacted by forensic pathologist with the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office. Detectives were advised that Stroupe's cause of death was homicide and that she had multiple injuries including broken and fractured bones and stab wounds. Detectives were also advised that Stroupe was being tortured over period of several months and that Stroupe would have been physically unable to provide consent for vaginal sexual intercourse.

Based on the above facts and circumstances, there is probable cause to believe that First-Degree Murder and

First-Degree Rape occurred and that Thomaz Kenon Hamilton (B/M, 02/22/2002) committed those offenses.

Heard On The Street

Officer I Surrender 

And then there's this.....

   

Props to "The Desirable Truth" for going where no man dared go before......

Charlotte Police Officer Robert L. Smith Park

The City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and CMPD honor our fallen Police Officers in many ways.

One of those is Officer Robert L. Smith - EOW January 15, 1987.

A name and a date many of us were not aware of, from nearly forty years ago.

At the time Charlotte was a far different place. City leadership later felt that naming a park in his honor was a just and right thing to do.

The Richard L Smith Park located at 1604 Little Rock Road is in a growing area of Charlotte known by some as Paw Creek, and the area is rapidly changing.

Due partly to the success of The River District and the nearby White Water Center. Suddenly apartments and new homes are popping up everywhere.

In October of last year Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation announced plans to add "pickleball courts" to the park in addition to the already under construction Paw Creek greenway project.

The artist rendering of the property is awesome.

But notably absent is any explanation of the Park's namesake or the small granite memorial and plaque in his honor located at the head of the parking lot. 

While the memorial is not noted on the site plans or artist's rendering of the improvement project, the "existing restrooms" and nearby play ground equipment however are noted.

The small memorial next the restrooms and picnic pavilion is in good shape, yet it could use a cleaning and the photo placed behind a small plastic cover and all but dissolved.

It is a simple memorial and the inscription below his photo written by a 9 year old is simply wonderful.

MY FRIEND ROBERT

ROBERT A GREAT FRIEND I HAD. 

AND WITHOUT HIM IT IS SO SAD.

WHIEN I HEARD WHAT HAD HAPPENED 

JUST A FEW DAYS AGO 

I KNEW HE STILL HAD A LONG LIFE TO GROW.

IN OUR THOUGHTS HE IS STILL THERE.

SO IN OUT HEARTS WE SHOULD STILL CARE.

ROBERT MADE THIS WORLD SO BRIGHT.

AND WOTHOUT HIM IT IS SUCH A UNHAPPY SIGHT.

BUT JUST THEINK OF IT AS ROBERT GOING AWAY 

AND YOU WILL SEE HIM AGAIN SOMEDAY.

AUTHOR RENEE REIDELL

WITITEN WHEN 9 YEARS OLD

Over the last two weeks CP has reached out to County Commissioners, CMPD, FOP and Park and Recreation staff. 

Asking about the park's construction progress both Park and Rec staff and Meck County Commissioners were quick to respond, but my follow up about the Officer Smith Memorial and photo was met with crickets.

I've offered that I have a duplicate photo and would be more than happy to step up to complete the simple task of replacing the photo.

CMPD Officer Robert L. Smith

Privately I'm told that both City and County elected officials and Park and Rec staff are somewhat bothered by the Park's name and apparently believe that the Fallen Officer Memorial Uptown across for the Law Enforcement center is the most suitable place to remember Officer Robert Smith and others.

While there is no formal action to rename the park or remove the memorial apparently they are concerned that my request to replace the faded photo might offend some members of the public. 

CP has also offered to help with the replacement of the photo covered with plastic with perhaps a stainless steel "etched" photo or even a bronze cast image. 

Thankfully on Thursday morning CP was hearing via the "back channel" CMPD Chief Estella D. Patterson had been made aware of the photo and the repair will be handled.

Additionally CP also heard from Mecklenburg Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell who as also expressed her concern.

Additional Background.

Police Officer Robert Louis Smith was shot and killed after he and other officers responded to a report of a man firing a gun into a condo complex at 0110 hours.

During the search for the suspect Officer Smith located him and shined his flashlight on him. When he did this the suspect opened fire with a rifle, striking Officer Smith four times. Other officers responded to the sound of the gun shots and returned fire, wounding the suspect.

The 32-year-old man was taken into custody and sentenced to life in prison plus 60 years, were he remains today.

Officer Smith had served with the Charlotte Police Department for seven years. He was survived by his wife, mother, sister, and two brothers.

He was off duty when he responded to the call.  

Rest Easy Hero.

Cedar Update:

I want to thank a number of people working to address this issue. My hope that someone within CMPD, Meck County, FOP Lodge 9 will step up and fix this Officer's memorial. More ASAP.

Harris Teeter Stabber Charged Denied Bond

Marvina Hardy has now been formally charged in the violent attack of a Charlotte, North Carolina Harris Teeter customer back in March of this year. Thankfully Mecklenburg County District Court Judge Roderick G. Davis denied her bail and so at least for now she will remain behind bars.

Known as the Harris Teeter Stabber Hardy is no stranger to law enforcement she's already spent nearly five years of her life behind bars.  She was last released from prison on April 28, 2025 and terminated from parole on January 23, 2026.

Reading the arrest affidavit it is pretty clear this psycho needs to stay behind bars.  

Photo Courtesy MCSO

Photo Courtesy Flagler County Florida Sheriff's Office 

On 3/18/26 the victim reported that she was attacked by an unknown black female and was stabbed in the chest with knife. 

The victim stated she arrived at the Harris Teeter located at 112 Sharon Amity Road in Charlotte, NC and parked her vehicle. She exited her vehicle and walked around to the passenger side of the vehicle to take her year old son out of the vehicle. 

While she was there, the unknown female approached the victim, calling her "Psycho Bitch," then attempting to stab her approximately 5 times with a knife, stabbing her one time in the chest. The victim stated the suspect got back into her vehicle and drove away. 

The victim stated she was screaming to gain attention for assistance.

The victim stated she is 30 weeks pregnant. The victim was transported to Novant Main due to her injuries. The victim stated she did not know the suspect and had never seen her before.

A witness stated she saw the two females in an altercation and the one female attempting to stab the victim multiple times.

According to video from Harris Teeter the suspect parks in the parking lot at 8:34 am on 3/18/26. She exits her vehicle and walks inside the Harris Teeter. 

                                                  

AI Enhanced Image for Clarity 

She leaves the store and returns to her vehicle at 8:37 am without making any purchases. The victim arrives and parks at 11:16 am. The suspect had remained inside of her vehicle in the parking space from 8:37 am until she backs out of the parking space prior to this incident. 

As the victim exits her vehicle at 11:16 am, the suspect vehicle backs up and pulls behind the victim's vehicle, stopping in the aisle of the parking lot. 

AI Enhanced Image for Clarity

The victim then walked around to the passenger side of her vehicle. 

The suspect stops her vehicle behind the victim's vehicle at 11:16 am. 

The suspect exits her vehicle at 11:17 am and walks towards the victim. 

An altercation occurs and the suspect gets into her vehicle at 11:17 am. The interaction was only 15 seconds. You could see arms swinging by both the suspect and victim. 

As the suspect drives away, the victim shuts the back door to her vehicle from where her son was sitting and goes back around to the driver's side of the vehicle. 

The suspect vehicle turns left out of aisle towards Marshalls and possibly leaves out the exit making right turn onto Sharon Amity Road towards Providence Road.

Upon check of street cameras through RTCC (Real Time Crime Center), the suspect vehicle was located and matched. In these cameras and camera from Harris Teeter showed the suspect vehicle appeared to be Hyundai Sonata. The passenger front hubcap was missing, as well as the rear passenger window was taped up.

Video of the suspect and photos of the vehicle were shared on social media and news outlets.

On 3/27/26 we received information from family member identifying the suspect. James stated that the suspect is Marvina Hardy, and that she is the mother of his grandchildren. He stated he was 100%, no doubt that it was her. 

He stated she lives with her mother in Waxhaw. He stated that days ago, Marvina called her son, Jayvon, and asked him to switch vehicles with her because she got into trouble with her car. He stated her mother is Timothi Ware. He stated that the vehicle she is driving is silver or gray Hyundai Sonata.

Through DMV I was able to locate Marvina Marie Hardy (9/9/85) with an address of 1916 Harrison Park Drive of Waxhaw, NC 28173. I was able to locate Timothi Yvette Lee, also last name Ware (7/24/61) with the same address.

I located two police reports with Waxhaw Police Department in September and November of 2025 where Jayvon Hardy (2/16/06) was associated with silver 2006 Hyundai Sonata (VIN SNPEU46F76H153693). Timothi Lee was also associated with one report.

I compared the suspect photo of the suspect inside Harris Teeter to photo of Marvina Hardy and believe it to be the same person. James named Marvina Hardy as the same person in the photos shared by the news of the suspect inside Harris Teeter. James also stated she drives Hyundai Sonata.

CMPD's Lack of Transparency is Interesting.

Early Tuesday morning local media was reporting of a MVA involving a CMPD Ford Explorer and a four door passenger car, at the intersection of Pineville-Matthews Road and Carmel Road in South Charlotte.

Seemed like a typical late night MVA except it involved a CMPD SUV.

Local news media went on to state that 4 people were taken to the hospital and noted that both vehicles had heavy front end damage. 

News reports on Tuesday morning also stated the there was no word if the Officer involved is one of those injured or the condition of any of those transported.to the hospital.

WSOC Reported the accident as follows:

"Four people were taken to the hospital from a crash involving a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police cruiser in south Charlotte Tuesday morning. It happened just before 3 a.m. at the intersection of Pineville-Matthews Road and Carmel Road. CMPD said everyone involved in the crash was taken to the hospital. According to MEDIC, three of those people have serious injuries."

But later in the day the story changed. Then it was "Two people were injured following two crashes involving Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police cruisers in south Charlotte early Tuesday, officials said."

The local media when on to say "The first crash happened at the intersection of Carmel Road and Pineville-Matthews Road around 2:30 a.m. According to the incident report, the driver of a stolen vehicle rammed into a CMPD cruiser. Investigators said no one was hurt in this collision. 

(Interesting that the first reports had that four people were injured.)

The local news report continued with: "A short time later, another driver crashed into a CMPD patrol vehicle directing traffic. The officer inside the vehicle was treated and released, according to police. Two people inside the car that crashed into the CMPD cruiser suffered minor injuries in the wreck."

Keep in mind none of this was widely reported or appeared via Atlas One or social media. CMPD's Newsroom Press Releases are also void of any mention of these two accidents.

Now the Charlotte Observer is leading this story with "Details Remain Murky"

So the question is what is going on here? We all had become accustom to Rodney Monroe's shady and murky management style but we thought or at least some of us thought that BS left with his hasty departure in 2015.

So what is up with this?