Marlo Wallace, who ran a group home in the Dallas area of Gaston County, was charged today with first-degree murder in the death of 23-year-old Aaliyah Fortner, a nonverbal resident found dead in October 2025. The charge marks the latest turn in a case that began after Wallace, following a highway crash, told officers they would find a body at her home.
Court records filed today, show Wallace was indicted on a first-degree murder charge and is being held without bond, according to WCNC. Prosecutors say in the filing that Wallace inflicted blunt-force injuries and concealed Fortner’s death, and they note more filings could follow as investigators continue processing evidence.
Allegations from surveillance and warrants
Investigators recovered deleted surveillance footage that prosecutors say shows repeated, degrading abuse. District Attorney Travis Page told reporters the video contained “some of the worst, most degrading abuse” he had seen. Local outlets reported in November 2025 that arrest warrants describe multiple assaults in which Fortner was struck, pushed to the ground, tased and hit with objects including a broom. That evidence surfaced after Wallace’s crash on I-85 and officers’ subsequent visit to the Green Brook Trail residence on Oct. 26, 2025, according to WBTV.
Medical examiner's findings
According to court and medical examiner records cited by WCNC, Fortner’s autopsy documented blunt-force injuries to her head, torso, arms, hands and legs. Records also show she lost roughly 60 pounds in the six months before her death and weighed about 84 pounds at the time, less than 75% of her ideal body weight. Prosecutors say those findings, combined with the restored video and other evidence, supported upgrading the case to a murder charge.
Charges, co-defendant and next steps
Vera Williams, another caregiver at the home, was previously charged with patient abuse and neglect and felony assault of an individual with disabilities and remains jailed on a separate bond, WSOC reported. District Attorney Page has said the investigation remains active and that additional charges could be filed as forensics and records are reviewed. Under North Carolina law, first-degree murder is a Class A felony that can be punished by death or life in prison, per the North Carolina General Assembly.
Background and community reaction
Local reporting has noted that the Green Brook Trail residence previously operated as an alternative family-living home before its license was voluntarily terminated in 2022, and that family members and former guardians have demanded accountability since Fortner’s death, as reported by the Gaston Gazette. Hoodline first covered the police homicide probe when officers announced the investigation in October 2025; that initial coverage is available in Hoodline’s reporting on the homicide investigation.
Prosecutors say they will continue reviewing forensic results and court filings as the case moves forward and that upcoming court proceedings will reveal more details. Gaston County police and the district attorney’s office have referred further questions to public records and press statements, and the investigation remains active.
