Alvin Steele - Incarceration Saves Lives

This story is one that will soon be forgotten. But the stories like this are endless in Charlotte.

Alvin Steele was shot to death in a one star motel on Lucky Penny Street on March 31, 2025.

A yelp review of the "Charlotte Express Inn" reads: "If I could give this place negative stars I would! Dead cockroaches in the bathroom and a huge blood stain on the blanket with holes in it, broken furniture and stains on the couch! How on earth is this place $60 a night!" 

Steel was Charlotte's 37th homicide vic, but how did he end up on the list?

Alvin Steele was arrested in January of this year with a pile of traffic citations including no drivers license and well as weapons charges and he was held for less 24 hours before he was released on a minimal bail.

Alvin Steele Courtesy of MCSO

A month later he was arrested again and as before on weapons charges.

Alvin Steele Courtesy of MCSO

And of course let out again on a minimum bail despite his prior arrests and convictions.

Then the January case was dismissed because someone forgot to turn in the paperwork.

The two arrests earlier in 2025 were not Steele's first trip to jail. He had been arrested in April of 2022 on stolen property and weapons charges in Gaston County. He was then in August of that year given community service and probation.

He had also been arrested back in 2021 for a shooting which wounded 3 people including a 7 year old girl.

According to media reports on Tuesday March 31, 2021 police officers responded to a 911 call near a convenience store on Hovis Road around 3 p.m. During a news conference Wednesday, CMPD Maj. Brian Foley said two teenagers had been targeted and shot at from a vehicle. They ran to a nearby house for medical attention, Foley said. Additionally a seven year old girl in another car was hit by a bullet.

CMPD Chief Jonny Jennings spoke forcefully at the time about crime saying "the shooting of a seven year old girl tugs at his heart"

Less than 24 hours after the news media interviewed Chief Jennings about the little girl being shot. Steele was arrested and charged with AWDWIKISI.

But the chief's talk held little value with the district attorney's office. By August of that year, the Mecklenburg County ADA Alana Marie Byrnes would dismiss the charges against Steele citing lack of evidence.

Even prior to the shooting of the little girl Steele had been arrested. A 2018 arrest on drug charges was dismissed because of COVID-19 and there are others, all dismissed. 

On May 12 of 2025 Alvin’s Steele's life came to a sudden, but not unexpected end, at that cheap motel on Lucky Penny Street.

According to court documents, his girlfriend found him shot multiple times in his room, covered by a sheet and pillow.

Investigators said Tyler Minor, who was staying with the Alvin, called 911 and said he shot his friend.

Tyler Minor Photo Courtesy of MCSO

Minor’s father then tried to turn him in, but he jumped out of his car on the way to the police station. He was arrested on Wednesday and charged with murder.

Minor too has been recently arrested on drugs and weapons charges. The week before the murder of Steele a mecklenburg  county magistrate let him walk out of jail on a Pre-Trial Release agreement. In other words no bail despite the seriousness of the charges.

Police said the incident was sparked because of a girl. 

However, Alvin’s grandmother said she couldn’t make sense of this. “As a person, Alvin was loving. He loved animals, and he loved people. He was very loving, always respectful,” His grandmother would say.

“Just put the guns down, you know. If we have grievances, try to talk. Try to go to somebody, but we’ve got to put the guns down. I mean, we’re killing everybody,” said the 50 year old.

She added that said Alvin leaves behind two young daughters.

Minor remains in the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sherriff's Department and has been denied bail. A trial date has not been set.

Cedar's Take:

Incarceration says lives. Multiple times there was a chance to prevent this murder and each time the system run by liberal judges, and district attorneys failed. 

On the positive side Minor's killing of Steele prevented Steele from killing someone else. 

But expect Minor is out before he's 25 and the process to start all over again.