A suspect in a fatal shooting along Ashley Forest Road in Chapel Hill now faces a murder charge in addition to previous felonies, due to the shooting victim’s death.

The Chapel Hill Police Department shared a release on Friday saying 27-year-old Kemonnie Drequan Eason has been given an updated charge of first-degree murder after the death of Elyjah Smith. Eason, who is a Charlotte resident, was arrested by police arrested on Friday, July 15.

Smith, a 25-year-old from Chapel Hill, was hospitalized “in critical condition” on Monday, July 11 after being shot. A GoFundMe page established by a co-worker at the Planet Fitness in University Place added a note Thursday evening saying that Smith died as a result of the injury.

Chapel Hill Police say the shooting happened around 9 p.m. on July 11, with officers arriving to a call at the 100 block of Ashley Forest Road, near the Tyler Creek neighborhood and a townhome community. Police say investigators determine Eason to be a suspect several days later.

In addition to first-degree murder, Eason faces charges of discharge of a firearm into an occupied dwelling, assault by pointing a gun, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and larceny of a motor vehicle.  Chapel Hill Police said he is now in Orange County’s detention center after initially being held at the Wake County Detention Center without bond.

The July 15 update from police said the department’s investigation is ongoing and no additional information is available at this time. Anyone with further information on the July 11 shooting is encouraged to get in touch with the department. To call Chapel Hill Police directly, community members can use 919-968-2760. Anyone who may wish to remain anonymous can call the Chapel Hill-Carrboro-UNC Crimestoppers hotline at 919-942-7515.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

 

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Police Identify, Charge Third in High-Speed Chase and Shooting From January
Chapel Hill Police delivered 17 charges stemming from the Jan. 25 shooting to 19-year-old Maurice Keys as he was held in Durham County.
Police: Trio of Suspects At Large After Shooting at State Trooper in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill Police and State Highway Patrol investigators are working to identify suspects after an overnight chase that included gunfire.
Chapel Hill Police Investigating Shooting at Gas Station; 1 Injured
Chapel Hill Police are investigating a shooting off of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Thursday night, which injured one person.
Chapel Hill Police Investigating Gunfire, Damage in Apartment Community
A report of gunshots and building damage in an apartment community early Saturday morning is being investigated by the Chapel Hill Police Department. According to a release shared by the department around 10 a.m. on Saturday, police received a report of gunfire in the 100 block of Timber Hollow Court — a road in the […]
Chapel Hill Police Identify, Charge Suspect in Chapel Ridge Shooting
The Chapel Hill Police Department shared Thursday that it identified and charged a suspect in a murder outside of a student-filled apartment complex in January. A release from the department on Thursday afternoon said earlier in the day, officers charged 23-year-old Asim Salah McKenzie with second degree-murder in the shooting of Marcus Anthony Smith on January […]
Chapel Hill Police Investigating Erwin Road Shooting; 1 Injured
The Chapel Hill Police Department is investigating a shooting off of Erwin Road Wednesday evening. A release from the department said around 4:45 p.m., officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 200 block of the road, which is between Sage Road and Weaver Dairy Road. Police said one person was injured while another […]
Chapel Hill Police: Road Rage Shooting Suspect Arrested
Authorities arrested a Durham man on Thursday for his involvement in a Chapel Hill road rage shooting that injured one driver earlier this month. A release from the Chapel Hill Police Department on Thursday said members of the U.S. Marshals Regional Task Force arrested 21-year-old Jose Daniel Rivas-Sanchez for his role in a June 7 […]
Downed Trees Close Stretch of Fordham Boulevard in Chapel Hill Tuesday Morning
Overnight storms felled trees along a popular thoroughfare in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, leaving morning travelers to find a detour.
Update: 2 Arrested After Gunfire at North Roberson Street
The Chapel Hill Police Department is investigating reports of shots fired at the edge of the Northside neighborhood early Wednesday morning.
Police: UNC Student Victim of Carjacking in W. Franklin Street Parking Deck
Chapel Hill Police are investigating the carjacking of a UNC student that took place early Saturday morning. No injuries are reported.
›