Mecklenburg Murder Court Starts Thursday

Mecklenburg Murder Court Starts Thursday

Like a television game show, the 39 contestants are lined up and ready to go. Some will walk and others will talk. Some will spin the wheel and leave in chains others will get to come back another day. There will be winners and losers, so without any further delay here are this week’s contestants:

Araque, Azareil Prisoner No. 490125 Case No. 21-201880-81 H/M

22-year-old Azareil Araque man was arrested in Lexington, NC in connection with the death of a 23-year-old killed near UNC Charlotte in November of 2020. On November 6, 2020, police responded around 7:30 p.m. to the 9000 block of Campus Walk Lane where a victim, who was later identified as Xavier Adams, 23, was pronounced dead. CMPD did not specify how Adams was killed, other than it was an assault with a deadly weapon. Officials said Azariel Araque was charged with murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and accessory after the fact to murder. On December 3, 2020, 27-year-old Willie Swinton was arrested in Los Angeles, California. He was also charged with the murder and robbery of Adams and is also one of Thursday's contestants listed below.

CONTINUED!

Chambers, Darius Prisoner No. 414768 Case No. 21-210034 B/M

Darius Lamar Chambers, the identified suspect in the Ryan Autry homicide case, was arrested after a Cabarrus County deputy conducted a traffic stop on him. After the traffic stop, Chambers agreed to speak with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. According to CMPD, following an interview with detectives, Chambers was arrested and charged with murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The shooting was reported just before 7pm on March 29th on West Sugar Creek Road near West W.T. Harris Boulevard. The victim, identified as 29-year-old Ryan Devon Autry, was pronounced dead on the scene. He'd been given probation twice in the past for armed robbery and felon with a gun.

CONTINUED!

Cuffie, Emanuel Prisoner No. 481165 Case No. 21-202718 B/M

Curry, James Prisoner No. 467093 Case No. 19-217501 B/M

Garcia, Andy Prisoner No. 488092 Case No. 21-209959-61 H/M

Hearn, Darryana Prisoner No. 487637 Case No. 20-218030 B/F

Lee, Tiberius Prisoner No. 491099 Case No. 21-202921-23 B/M

McIlwain, Jawonn Prisoner No. 488811 Case No. 21-202727, 29, 31 B/M

Charlotte-Mecklenburg detectives say 22-year-old Jawonn Mcilwain has been charged for the death of 20-year-old Jyasin Dearmon following a fatal north Charlotte shooting on Tuesday, January 26th, 2021. Homicide Unit detectives say they identified a vehicle of interest during their investigation, and when officers conducted a traffic stop with this vehicle on January 27th around 3 a.m., they found McIlwain inside. Detectives say McIlwain was placed under arrest for carrying a concealed weapon and was taken in for questioning. After being interviewed by detectives, McIlwain was additionally charged for murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiring to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in the shooting that killed Dearmon. Tiberius Lee, 18, Emanuel Cuffie, 20, and a 17-year-old have been additionally charged for the murder of Jyasin Dearmon.

CONTINUED!

Mims, Waltavius Prisoner No. 488177 Case No. 20-222455; 20-224690 B/M

Monroy, Mario Prisoner No. 484564 Case No. 21-5311-13 H/M

This contestant just can’t catch a break. Being collared for a murder is bad enough, but then you find out your public defender is none other than cop hater nut bag Tim Emry! Well, good luck Mario!

CONTINUED!

Odea, John Prisoner No. 488457 Case No. 20-224923 W/M

Singleton, James Prisoner No. 459706 Case No. 21-203082-83 W/M

Stanfill, Clifton Prisoner No. 486095 Case No. 20-217356-58 B/M

Swinton, Willie Prisoner No. 390262 Case No. 20-238754-55 B/M

On November 6, 2020, police responded around 7:30 p.m. to the 9000 block of Campus Walk Lane where a victim, who was later identified as Xavier Adams, 23, was pronounced dead. CMPD did not specify how Adams was killed, other than it was an assault with a deadly weapon. On December 3, 2020, 27-year-old Willie Swinton was arrested in Los Angeles, California. He was charged with the murder and robbery of Adams.

CONTINUED!

Villegas, Dasan Prisoner No. 468244 Case No. 20-237545-46 B/M

Walker, Jacobe* Prisoner No. 418926 Case No. 17-232428-30 B/M 

Alshabani, Sawan* Prisoner No. 484043 Case No. 19-240275 A/F 

In 2019 Sawan Alshabani, 56, of Charlotte, was booked into the Mecklenburg County Jail. She is charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Investigators said 79-year-old Vira Nahorna was putting groceries in her car when Alshabani hit her and tried to run down four others. Those four people were not hurt, "This was random and isolated," said Matthews Police Chief Clark Pennington. "There is no known connection between Alshabani and any of the victims." She has been held without bail since November of 2019. 

PROBATION!

Charles, Dakeia Prisoner No. Case No. 20-222714-19 B/M 

According to North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Dakeia Charles was charged with five counts of second-degree murder, as well as three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, DWI and speeding. Troopers said Charles was driving on a revoked license at the time of the wreck. The North Carolina Highway Patrol said Charles was traveling over 120 miles per hour on I-485 Outer near W.T. Harris Boulevard when he clipped a box truck, causing the truck to drive across the median and hit two cars on the I-485 Inner loop. One car contained four members of the Obester family; all four family members in the car died at the crash site. A man in the second car, Mark Barlaan, also died. According to court records, a judge revoked Charles' license after he was convicted of driving drunk in Lincoln County in 2017. At the time of his arrest, Charles had a .10 blood alcohol concentration, which is above the .08 legal limit. 

Diehl, America Prisoner No. 20-216477-78 W/F 

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police charged a fourth person America Diehl, in the murder of Mary Collins, who had been missing since March 28, 2020. Police followed leads to locate the body of the missing woman on Rollerton Road on April 4. During the course of the investigation, detectives identified Diehl, as a suspect in this case and warrants were issued for her arrest, Diehl turned herself into the Thornton Police Department in Thornton, Colorado. Police previously identified and arrested James Salerno, 20, Lavi Pham, 21, and Kelly Lavery, 24. America Diehl may be one of the lucky ones, since she is not charged with murder only accessory after the fact. 

CONTINUED!

Hamilton, Ty-Lek* Prisoner No. 478271 19-216849 B/M

Johnson, Donquavis Prisoner No. 474112 20-209877-879 B/M

Moore, Devontrez Prisoner No. 388309 20-238164-65 B/M

Moore, Talvi Prisoner No. 305618 Case No. 17-215338-39 B/M

Perez, Julio Prisoner No. 304146 Case No. 21-201300, 03-04 H/M

Pinkney, Shomari Prisoner No. 390807 Case No. 20-230385 B/M 

Salerno, James Prisoner No. 20-212172-73 B/M

Sanchez, Jovann Prisoner No. 21-5628 H/M

Winston, George Prisoner No. 491127 Case No. 21-203165-66 B/M

Police responded to an assault with deadly weapon call for service around 3:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Lasalle Street. Officers arrived to the scene and located a GMC SUV that ran off the road and struck a tree. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene by Medic.The victim was identified as 28-year-old Cedric Kirkland. Detectives then identified a vehicle of interest and coordinated with patrol officers across the city to search for the vehicle. Officers were able to locate the unoccupied vehicle which led to detectives conducting several interviews. At the conclusion of the interviews, police said 24-year-old George Winston was identified as a suspect, arrested and transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office where he was charged with murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle. But George Winston won the cosmic lottery and was given public defender Norman Butler the best that money can't buy.

CONTINUED!

Withers, Joshua Prisoner No. 285511 Case No. 21-209880 B/M

Adams, Aric Prisoner No. 475055 Case No. 18-229635-37 B/M

Asbury, Stoni* Prisoner No. 490539 Case No. 20-241866 B/F

Faulkner, Marquis Prisoner No. 260662 Case No. 19-220970 B/M

Faulkner is one of three men charged in the fatal May 2019 shooting of mother and U.S. Army Veteran Monica Kathleen Smith. Smith, 26, was found shot on May 25 at an apartment on Catherine Simmons Avenue just before 7:30 p.m. Donte Clements, 18-year-old Marquis Faulkner and Natron McDougald have been charged in the crime. Smith was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after the shooting but was pronounced dead a short time later. Smith’s obituary describes her as a mother and a veteran of the U.S. Army. “Monica Kathleen Smith was tragically taken from her family on May 25th, 2019 falling victim to a violent crime in Charlotte, NC,” her obituary reads. 

CONTINUED! to June 26, 2021

Garcia, Anthony Prisoner No. 403929 Case No. 20-220718 H/M

Gaskin, Dareem Prisoner No. 385719 Case No. 20-230640-42 B/M

Gaskin, Jarirus Prisoner No. 330379 Case No. 20-232365 B/M

Hough, Xavier Prisoner No. Case No. 20-235181 B/M

Kelson, Jaquavias* Prisoner No. 461482 Case No. 20-242468-69 B/M

Mack, Alexander Prisoner No. Case No. 20-235676 W/M

Officers say they responded to a shooting on North College Street where they found a man, identified as 37-year-old Stephen Robinson, dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Detectives say 19-year-old Xavier Hough is under arrest for murder after shooting and killing the man on October 16, 2020 around 4:10 a.m. Later Alexander Mack, 19, was identified as a suspect in the homicide case after further investigation. He was interviewed  by detectives which led to warrants being issued for his arrest. Hough is one of only 3 white males charged with murder and the rest are primarily African American. 

CONTINUED To June 21, 2021 

White Boy Remains Free on Bond!

McNair, Kelton Prisoner No. 478348 Case No. 20-206557-58 B/M

Paschal, Zytwan Prisoner No. 452262 Case No. 21-210039 A/M

Patel, Rupen Prisoner No. 446288 Case No. 15-226445 A/M

The Wheel of Justice is slowly spinning for Jerry Wayne Kerns, Jr. who was murdered on June 23, 2015. Thursday is sentencing day for the only one of 3 men originally charged in his death from nearly six years ago. Rupen Bhagvan Patel, 26, of Mooresville, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance and attempted possession of a schedule VI controlled substance (felony). Patel has a massive arrest history and as with so many the long list of violent crimes has been ignored by the courts. Additionally Gercobe Arnell McClain Jr., 28, of Davidson, was charged first-degree murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance, attempted possession of a schedule VI controlled substance (felony), possession of a firearm by a felon and habitual felon. As was Frederick Jamar Cherry, 25, of Mooresville, who was charged with first-degree murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance and attempted possession of a schedule VI controlled substance (felony). Both of those cases were dismissed.

Shacklette, Raheem* Prisoner No. 483642 Case No. 19-238451, 19-237720  B/M

Ulloa, Felipe Prisoner No. 448785 Case No. 17-209891 H/M

Allen, Lavarchio* Prisoner No. 480342 Case No. 19-231617 B/M

Dunn, Xaveon* Prisoner No. 437644 Case No.20-235579-80, 82-83, 85 B/M

East, Xavier* Prisoner No. 451750 Case No. 21-212209 B/M

Singleton, Azaveon* Prisoner No. 490341 Case No. 20-240255-57; 20-240241- 42 B/M

Cedar's Notes:

The above has not been edited or reviewed for accuracy or content. As the contest progresses we will attempt to update the results as they happen. It should be noted that there are no Law & Order moments in this sort of production line justice. This drama free court is dull and in so many ways far from what the constitution proscribes in the way of due process, but it is what it is. In many of these cases the charges will be dropped and the murderers will go free until they kill again. And so it goes....