Posted on 03/13/2008 6:29:53 AM PDT by F15Eagle
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. - The second suspect charged with murdering the University of North Carolina student body president surrendered peacefully to police early Thursday, authorities said.
Lawrence Alvin Lovette Jr., 17, was arrested by Durham patrol and SWAT officers several hours after they surrounded a home where he was hiding, said Durham police Lt. Robert McLaughlin Jr. Authorities had received an anonymous tip that Lovette was in the house, McLaughlin said.
Lovette remained in Durham police custody Thursday morning, said Chapel Hill police Lt. Kevin Gunter. It wasn't clear when he would be transferred to their custody or make an initial appearance on the murder charge, he said.
Lovette and Demario James Atwater, 21, of Durham, are both charged with first-degree murder in Eve Carson's death. The 22-year-old from Athens, Ga., was found lying on a street about a mile from the Chapel Hill campus on March 5. She had been shot several times, including once in the right temple.
Atwater was arrested early Wednesday as he left another home in Durham that police had placed under surveillance after receiving a tip. He later made an initial court appearance in Hillsborough.
Shackled at the ankles and waist, and with a public defender at his side, Atwater only whispered "yes" when asked if he understood the charges against him. He appeared to have a wound and a bruise on his right cheek at his court appearance. Chapel Hill Police Chief Brian Curran said officers had taken him to a hospital as "part of the evidence collection" process.
Atwater was ordered held without bond on a charge of first-degree murder. His next court date was set for March 24.
"I hope the arrest can ease the minds of some in the community," Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall said.
Curran would not say Wednesday which suspect detectives believe shot and killed Carson.
State records indicate both suspects are currently on parole. Lovette was given a suspended sentenced in January for misdemeanor larceny and breaking and entering. Atwater was convicted of felony breaking and entering in 2005 and illegal possession of a firearm in 2007. He also received a suspended sentence.
Messages left with the Orange County public defender's office Wednesday were not returned.
In the days after Carson's death, police focused their investigation on several ATM and convenience store surveillance photos.
Police believe Lovette was pictured in two photos taken at an ATM machine, driving Carson's Toyota Highlander with Atwater in the back seat. Police also believe Atwater was the suspect shown trying to use Carson's ATM card inside a convenience store.
Curran has previously declined to say when the surveillance photos were taken or the exact location of the ATM machine and convenience store, or if any money was successfully withdrawn from Carson's account.
Carson was a Morehead-Cain scholar at North Carolina. The university said Wednesday a third memorial service will be held next week at the Smith Center, the school's basketball arena.
"Our interests are in seeing justice served and helping our community during this difficult time," university Chancellor James Moeser said in a statement. "We are thankful for all of the expressions of support pouring in for the Carolina family and our local community in these past few days. Those kind thoughts and prayers for Eve Carson's family and our community have made a difference."
___
Gartner reported on this story from Chapel Hill. Associated Press writer Bernard McGhee in Atlanta also contributed to this report.
Will Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson be marching regarding this crime? Oh, never mind ...
If this detritus escapes the death penalty, there will be problems.
I have no way of knowing if these two did it. But whoever did, what could they have possibly thought made any sense about this? Just senseless ...
My compliments to the bank that had the clearest ATM photo of the murderer than I have ever seen. All convenience stores and banks should upgrade to whatever cameras this bank had.
Obviously, the thieving, murdering scum in university towns have declared open season on white co-eds. I would think this might alarm university presidents...though it’s difficult to peer down from their ivory towers into the mean streets where these predators stalk the girls. Were I a parent of a co-ed these days, she would be armed, CCP state or not.
People like this don’t care about things making sense. It’s a victim/entitlement mentality.
Notice how the media NEVER mentions the race of these “alleged” killers. If the co-eds were black, and the killers white, the media would go to great lengths to mention that “evil, white men” were the murderers, and Al “the race pimp” Sharpton and Jesse “rainbow coalition” Jackson would be marching through the streets of every North Carolina city and town demanding justice, or “just us.”
She probably vigorously resisted the rape part of the equation, which is why she was shot and killed on the scene, rather than dragged into her car, raped and then dumped someplace far less conspicuous.
She was already dead the moment they approached her - her resistance to their planned sexual assault is probably the only reason why these guys were caught so soon.
If she had gotten into the car, she would have been thought of as missing for a while.
Skip the brokered prison deals and/or decades of appeals— let’s get a rope.
Exactly.
DNA collection for rape charges?
I live here. I have a 17-yr. old daughter. We are so glad they’ve been caught and arrested.
They did it - look at the pictures.
Senseless is the right word.
No, my understanding is that one of these guys is a twin brother, and there might be some confusion as to which is which (in other words, they want to make sure they have the right brother).
He must have slipped down the stairs trying to flee. Those stairs are dangerous, he's lucky to be alive.
"Chapel Hill Police Chief Brian Curran said officers had taken him to a hospital as "part of the evidence collection" process."
DNA collection for possible rape or attempted rape charges?
Yes, the Today Show reporterette mentioned like 3 times that the most remarkable thing about them is that they were “young”, i.e., just some misguided yutes. I am so tired of this crap. And it will be a cold day in hell when they mention that the 3 murderers of 2 white Southern coeds are all black - well, we DO have eyes...
Oooh, "hate crime" alert. You'd go to jail for 20 years for that. It's offensive even to mention "rope" in such a connection, doncha know?
BTW, the 17-year-old has now been charged in the killing of a (male) Duke University grad student back in January. So it appears that this wasn’t Mr. Lovett’s first murder.
}:-)4
Durham. There’s a shocker /sarcasm
Isn't that nice? A young woman is dead, because the justice system didn't put these thugs in jail where they belonged.
Donning my tinfoil hat here - is it now going to be open season on white college students because of a perceived injustice that the Duke LAX players were found innocent? Are these murdering creeps just trying to avenge their wronged “sistah”?
This was such an unlikely event in this town - the scenario you describe is exactly right - I can see where this girl would have been caught completely off guard. She wasn’t stupid, but was just surprised, like anyone would have been.
The REAL irony here, guys, is that she traveled to some parts of the world for volunteer work and study that you’d REALLY think twice about sending your beautiful blonde haired daughter to - Ghana, Cuba, Egypt. Third -world spots.
And here she couldn’t be saved from these thugs down the road from Durham.
I seriously doubt it. I live down here in Durham and this type of thug is rampant here. They may target Duke or UNC students simply because they’re easier targets—they have money, they probably don’t have a good idea of how to protect themselves, etc. There may be a racial angle on it too, I don’t know. But I can’t see there being some sort of Crazy Crystal angle on it. That would require a level of awareness that I doubt these two have.
}:-)4
You can’t be serious - he killed that Pakistani graduate student too? Is that the same murder I’m thinking of?
No. They’re just murdering creeps.
Agree. Our justice system is a cruel joke.
“It will be a cold day in hell when they mention that the murderers of 2 white Southern coeds are all black-”
Not to worry. Plenty more will mention it. Revel in it. Wallow in it.
You can’t be serious - he killed that Pakistani graduate student too? Is that the same murder I’m thinking of?
That is what they just announced. Now we know why the DNA test was run.
Oh, no, this is even worse than I thought... THAT was awful. He was an outstanding young man too - his family was halfway around the world, devastated, as you might imagine. That happened in Durham. I’m in Chapel Hill, so not as directly involved, but have college age kids.
And of course, the direct inference is that if this criminal had been kept in jail, maybe both these bright lights would still be shining. Durham judges are known for being way too sympathetic to the criminals ; would like to know who’s responsible for letting these guys back on the street in this case.
Will have to get off the computer, and turn on the news & see what they’re saying.
This is a hate crime. It will not be prosecuted as such. Not going to happen. That’s because hate crime laws were designed to prosecute Whites. Only Whites. Original intention of lawmakers.
I expect to hear nothing but silence from Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.
You’re right. The suspended sentences that these perps received should be one of the big issues being examined. If these perps had received real sentences, these two young people would still be alive. Someone has to find out who the judges were in these particular cases and get rid of them.
evil is senseless. Dont stay awake at night asking “Why?” Ask yourself... “How...”
The lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith occurred on August 7, 1930 in Marion, Indiana. They had robbed and murdered a factory worker and raped his girlfriend. A third participant verified that they had in fact robbed the man, but claims he fled before the shooting and rape. A large crowd broke into the jail with sledgehammers, beat the two men, and hanged them. Police officers cooperated with the crowd.
Uncover the slightest indiscretion of the Judge and prosecutor, their associates and families too, going back 1000 years if possible.
That is the ‘Lib’ way of dealing with it.
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