A death investigation on the edge of Uptown has turned into a homicide case after an autopsy, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police confirmed Wednesday.
CMPD says the victim was found around 6:45 p.m. Friday on North Poplar Street near West 12th Street, just outside the heart of Uptown. The person’s name has not been released as authorities work to notify family members, and detectives say they do not yet have any suspects.
What local TV reported
According to WCCB Charlotte, autopsy findings led CMPD to officially change the manner of death from a general death investigation to a homicide. The station reports officers first discovered the body Friday evening near West 12th Street and stayed on scene as crime techs processed the area and detectives tried to piece together how the victim ended up there. WCCB notes police are holding back the victim’s identity until next of kin can be reached.
Police update and city context
Per CMPD’s newsroom, the case is now in the hands of homicide detectives in the department’s Central Division, focusing on the 900 block of North Poplar Street.
CMPD’s own public safety data shows the broader backdrop they’re working against: homicides were up in the first quarter of 2026, with 22 killings reported from January through March compared with 16 in the same stretch of the previous year. The department has said those shifts keep homicide teams locked in on casework and community tips, trying to keep up with the caseload while asking residents to speak up when they see or hear something.
In its public notices, CMPD continues to push people toward its tips line and Charlotte Crime Stoppers for anything that might help break open investigations like this one.
How to help investigators
Investigators have not identified any suspects in the case, WCCB reported, and detectives are asking anyone who was in the area Friday night to take a second look at what their phones and cameras captured.
That includes checking cell phone video, doorbell cameras and business surveillance systems for anything unusual around North Poplar and West 12th. Tips can be sent anonymously to Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, through the P3 Tips mobile app, or online at Charlotte Crime Stoppers.
