The Latest (7/11/25):
A Gastonia man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Gaston County jury found him guilty of first-degree murder on Thursday, July 10, 2025,
27-year-old Tahj Wall has been convicted for the May 2021 murder of Melvin Hopper.
Court records reveal after shooting Hopper twice in the back of the head, Wall drove Hopper’s body in a vehicle for approximately six hours, showing the body to several individuals before one called 911.
Judge David Strickland sentenced Wall to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
District Attorney Travis Page addressed the verdict in his remarks:
“Today a jury saw the death of Melvin Hopper for exactly what it was, and for what the facts proved—it was not an act of self-defense, not a crime of passion, but a cold-blooded execution. Our office remains relentless in our pursuit of justice, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute violent offenders. We thank the jury for their service and their commitment to following the facts of this case and the rule of law, and we will continue to support the family of Melvin Hopper and all families of homicide victims.”
Previous Coverage (5/28/21):
A 23-year-old has been charged for the murder of a man that was found dead in southwest Charlotte Thursday afternoon, according to police.
Tahj Wall was identified as the suspect in the homicide death of Curtis Hopper, the identified victim in the case, through information and evidence gathered.
He was then interviewed by detectives. Wall was was placed under arrest and transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office following the interview.
Police said Wall has been charged with first degree murder, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, robbery with a dangerous weapon and concealing a death.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department also discovered through an investigation that the murder happened on South Weldon Street in Gastonia.
Original Story (5/27/21):
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is investigating a southwest Charlotte homicide after one person was found dead Thursday afternoon.
Officers responded to Barrands Lane, near the intersection of Shopton Road West and Steele Creek Road, around 12:20 p.m. after an assault with a deadly weapon call for service.
When police arrived at the scene they located a man who seemed to have died due to an apparent traumatic injury. The unidentified victim was pronounced dead on scene by the responding officers.
The investigation into this case is active and ongoing.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit detective. The public can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/.
