The first week of March at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, has always been one filled with excitement. With spring break just one week away, students take a break from their studies and focus on preparing for anticipated good times. On Wed. March 5, however, turmoil and grief infected what was supposed to be one of the more carefree weeks in the academic calendar, when a member of the student body was found shot just half a mile away from the campus.
It wasn't until Thursday morning that the victim was identified as 22-year-old student body president Eve Carson. Carson, a pre-med biology and political science major, was awarded the prestigious Morehead Scholarship and spent her summers volunteering in Ecuador, Egypt, and Ghana.
Police first investigated the crime when two neighbors called 911 after reportedly hearing four gunshots and a woman screaming. Indeed, Carson had been shot numerous times, including once in the temple. Police were at a loss for any sort of explanation or motive for the crime and confirmed at a press conference that they had no suspects at the time.
Meanwhile, students left for spring break with heavy hearts, awaiting any sort of explanation for the murder. Little by little, answers started to arise. Carson's car was found in perfect condition on March 6 parked a mile away from where her body was found. Her cell phone was also recovered on Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill. The biggest lead occurred Saturday when police obtained photos of two men attempting to use Carson's debit card. On Monday, two new photographs were released of one of the men walking into the convenience store where the ATM was located. Police, however, were baffled by the identity of the man in the picture.
It was not until Wednesday, March 12 that the suspect was identified. Demario James Atwater was taken into custody at 5 a.m. and charged with one account of first-degree murder. "This is still an active and ongoing investigation," said Brian J. Curran, the Chapel Hill chief of police, during an afternoon news conference. Police are still searching for a second suspect, Lawrence Alvin Lovette, who is also wanted on a first-degree murder charge.
Spring Break
