Nearly three and a half years after 19-year-old Yimere Joyner was gunned down in west Charlotte, a second man has now admitted his role in the deadly robbery that took his life. The latest plea effectively closes the criminal case against one of two men charged in the 2022 killing.
Guilty Plea and Sentence
Sir Anthony Sintari Hepburn pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. A Mecklenburg County judge sentenced him to between 13 years, 1 month and 16 years, 9 months in prison and credited him with 1,273 days for time already served, according to Queen City News.
Earlier Plea by Co-defendant
Hepburn is the second defendant to take a deal in the case. On Jan. 23, 2025, Demetrius Mason pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and received a similar range of prison time during Homicide Day proceedings. Mason’s plea was part of a broader slate of murder cases resolved in Mecklenburg County Superior Court that month, as reported by WBTV.
How the Case Unfolded
Joyner, 19, was found fatally shot on July 5, 2022, in the 1700 block of Camp Greene Street near Freedom Drive, according to police reports from the time. Investigators have said the defendants conspired to rob Joyner before the shooting. Both Mason and 18-year-old Nyquan Demartirice Marriner were arrested in July 2022 as the investigation moved forward. Local coverage of the original arrests and crime scene is available from WCCB.
Legal Details
Court documents reviewed by Queen City News show Marriner is still facing charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, discharging a weapon into an occupied property and a possession charge. The filings also note that Mason received 909 days of credit for time served when he entered his plea in 2025, while Hepburn’s sentence included the 1,273-day credit described above.
What’s Next
Marriner remains in the Mecklenburg County court system, and no public trial date has been reported in recent coverage. With two defendants now convicted through plea deals in connection with Joyner’s death, the case underscores how some of the county’s most serious violent crimes are ultimately resolved at the negotiating table rather than in front of a jury.
