A quiet stretch of east Charlotte is at the center of a homicide investigation after police charged a 24-year-old man with first-degree murder and first-degree rape in the death of a 19-year-old woman.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Isabella Mary Alexander Stroupe, 19, was found last Friday on the 6600 block of Yateswood Drive near Albemarle Road. Detectives later identified Thomaz Kenon Hamilton as a suspect and took him into custody without incident, according to the department.
As reported by Queen City News, CMPD's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team located and arrested Hamilton, and homicide detectives interviewed him before he was transferred into the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. The outlet also notes that investigators classified the case as a homicide after consulting with the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner and that Detective Fitch is leading the active investigation.
Police timeline and scene
WBTV reported that officers found Stroupe last Friday off Yateswood Drive near Albemarle Road. At the time of that report, authorities had not released a cause of death or a possible motive. The station confirmed that Hamilton is 24 years old and that the charges in the case were filed on Tuesday.
How to help
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Homicide Unit is asking anyone with information to call 704-432-8477 (TIPS) and speak directly with a homicide detective, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Investigators say the probe remains active and are urging the public not to circulate unverified details while detectives continue to collect evidence.
Legal note
Hamilton faces charges of first-degree murder and first-degree rape. Those charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office will review the case and determine formal filings and the next steps in any prosecution.
