Murder of Eve Carson

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The Murder of Eve Carson took place on the morning of March 5, 2008, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States[1] The victim was Eve Marie Carson, a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A 21-year-old, Demario James Atwater, of Durham, North Carolina has been charged with her murder.[2] A second suspect, 17-year-old Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr.,[3] was taken into custody early morning March 13.[4] Lovette is also now being held in connection with the January murder of 29-year-old Duke University engineering student Abhijit Mahato.[5][6]

Contents

[edit] Murder

Person thought to be Lovette using Carson's ATM card.
Person thought to be Lovette using Carson's ATM card.

Carson's body was found at the intersection of Hillcrest Circle and Hillcrest Drive in Chapel Hill at approximately 5 a.m. on March 5, 2008.[7] Police could not immediately identify the body, but at 9 a.m. on March 6, 2008 police investigators and the office of the medical examiner identified the body as that of Carson.[8] Chapel Hill Police Chief Brian Curran said that Carson's death appeared to be a random act. Police recovered her car more than a mile away from her body after receiving a tip from a local witness. Police also released images from a security video of a person using Carson's ATM card.[9]

[10] The medical examiner said that Carson had not been sexually assaulted.[1] Carson was shot several times, including once in the temple.

Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr. was arrested almost 24 hours after the arrest of a man who, police say, joined him in the murder. Lovette, 17, and Demario James Atwater, 21, were charged on March 11, 2008 with first-degree murder in the crime while Lovette was still at large.[3]

[edit] Victim

Carson was born in Athens, Georgia, on November 19, 1985, where she attended Clarke Central High School.[11] She was elected president of the high school's student body and was valedictorian.[1] While at UNC, Carson majored in Political Science and Biology, in the pre-medicine career path.[1] Her academic achievements earned her membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honor society and she was a recipient of the Morehead-Cain Scholarship. In her role as student body president, Carson served as a member of the university's board of trustees and many other committees.[12]

[edit] Aftermath

UNC's Chancellor James Moeser spoke to the student body on Polk Place at 3 p.m., and at 7 p.m. students organized a candlelit vigil in the Pit. The service included singing by three student a cappella groups and a slideshow of photos of Carson.[1] Hundreds of people attended Carson's funeral in Athens, including Moeser, who said that Carson was "truly a gift to Chapel Hill."[13] In honor of Carson, the North Carolina men's and women's basketball teams wore a black badge on their jersey that read "EVE" for the remainder of their seasons.[14]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e AP Staff. "UNC student president killed in 'random' crime", Crime and Courts, Redmond, WA: MSNBC, 2008-03-06. Retrieved on 2008-03-07. [dead link]
  2. ^ AP Staff. "UNC slaying suspect charged in Duke killing", Crime and Courts, Redmond, WA: MSNBC, 2008-03-13. Retrieved on 2008-03-13. 
  3. ^ a b Lamb, Amanda; Hartness, Erin; Owens, Gerald. "Suspect Charged, Another Sought in UNC Student's Slaying", Local News, Raleigh,NC: WRAL, 2008-03-12. Retrieved on 2008-03-12. 
  4. ^ Chou, Renee; Owens, Adam; Lamb, Amanda; Hartness, Erin; Owens, Gerald. "Police Capture 2nd Suspect in UNC Student's Slaying", Local News, Raleigh, NC: WRAL, 2008-03-13. Retrieved on 2008-03-13. 
  5. ^ Chou, Renee; Bowens, Dan; Lewis, Julia; Owens, Adam. "UNC Murder Suspect Also Charged in Duke Grad Student's Death", Local News, Raleigh, NC: WRAL, 2008-03-13. Retrieved on 2008-03-13. 
  6. ^ Lamb, Amanda. "Duke Graduate Student Shot to Death", Local News, Raleigh, NC: WRAL, 2008-01-19. Retrieved on 2008-03-13. 
  7. ^ DeConto, Jesse James; Stephenson, Emily. "No suspect yet in Carson slaying", Crime and Safety, Raleigh, NC: The News & Observer, 2008-03-06. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 
  8. ^ AP/CNN Staff. "Thousands mourn slain UNC student; cops search for killer", Crime, Atlanta, GA: CNN, 2008-03-06. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 
  9. ^ AP/CNN Staff. "Photos show 'person of interest' in student's slaying", Crime, Atlanta, GA: CNN, 2008-03-08. Retrieved on 2008-03-08. 
  10. ^ AP Staff. "Cops release images linked to UNC slaying", National News, McLean, VA: USA Today, 2008-03-08. Retrieved on 2008-03-08. 
  11. ^ Floyd, Allison. "Grad's murder shocks Clarke Central", Local News, Athens, GA: The Athens Banner-Herald, 2008-03-07. Retrieved on 2008-05-19. 
  12. ^ Eve Maria Carson: Biography. Eve Carson, 1985–2008: Carolina loses a special person. UNC Office of University Relations. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  13. ^ AP Staff. "Hundreds attend services for slain students", Crime and Courts, MSNBC, 2008-03-09. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. 
  14. ^ Lopresti, Mike. "Tar Heels play on with tragedy on their minds", From the Press Box, McLean, VA: USA Today, 2008-03-24. Retrieved on 2008-03-24. 

[edit] External links

  • Eve Carson. The News & Observer's coverage of Carson.

Coordinates: 35°55′16″N 79°2′6″W / 35.92111, -79.035