A Charlotte woman who disappeared nearly two months ago is now at the center of a homicide investigation, with police announcing a murder charge against a suspect while saying she still has not been found. The case marks a grim turn in the search for Brandi Merrick, who was last seen leaving a family member’s home in June.
CMPD said Friday that detectives developed sufficient evidence identifying Derrick Randall Jr. as a suspect in Merrick’s disappearance. The department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team located and arrested Randall on Friday, and he was later transferred into the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office after being charged with murder.
Merrick, 37, was last seen leaving a family member’s residence in the 4500 block of Houldsworth Drive at about 8:30 p.m. on June 8, according to an earlier CMPD bulletin. Family members reported her missing several days later, prompting a public request for information about her whereabouts.
The new case update says Merrick has not been located despite continued investigative efforts, and that her next of kin has been notified. The information was also shared in CMPD’s public case update, which identifies the investigation as active and ongoing.
What The Murder Charge Means
Randall’s murder charge is an allegation, not a finding of guilt, and the case will proceed through the court system. CMPD has not publicly released details about the evidence supporting the charge or explained what investigators believe happened to Merrick.
Police Ask For Information About Merrick
Anyone who knows where Merrick is or has information about her disappearance is asked to call 911 immediately. She is described as a Black woman who is 5 feet tall and weighs about 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes; anonymous tips can be submitted to Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, while information about the investigation can be directed to CMPD at 704-432-8477.
CMPD said Detective McCall is the lead homicide detective and Detective Hagan is the lead missing-persons detective assigned to the case. The department said additional information will be released as the investigation develops.
