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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Trezman Funderburk is a name too many people know for the wrong reasons. He’s 23 years old; he started getting into trouble when he was 14 for fighting at school. Then stealing at school. When he was 15, he started stealing cars. He celebrated his 16th year by adding assault to his growing list of crimes. Funderburk’s offenses continued on to include drugs.
In 2011, he broke into a south Charlotte apartment and held the 28-year-old woman who lived there at gun point, stole her stuff, punched her in the face repeatedly and then stole her car. This past Saturday, police say the five-foot-tall Funderburk carjacked two people at gun point in NoDa.
“I was waiting for it, because I knew he was out,” was the reaction from one of Funderburk’s past victims.
He went to prison in 2012. He got out this past March. That 21-month period was the longest stretch Funderburk has gone since he was 14 without committing crimes. Two of his victims–one who suffered permanent damage from Funderburk’s punches to their face–blame the revolving door of the justice system for why this menace is still on the streets. They say, “I want him to stay, just put away. I don’t think he should be out on the streets.”
Another one of Funderburk’s victims tells WCCB their entire building is fed up with Funderburk. They say, “Every single person in this building is a licensed gun holder.” WCCB News @ Ten anchor Morgan Fogarty asked, “And they all know what he looks like?” They replied, “Every single person is in this apartment complex knows exactly what he looks like.”
WCCB asked the District Attorney’s office to talk to with us about Funderburk and his habitual felon status. A spokeswoman replied in part, “Because this defendant has pending charges, our office is prohibited by ethical obligations from speaking about him or the case.”
Funderburk is in jail for Saturday’s carjacking. He has a bond hearing next week. Court paperwork indicates it’s a foregone conclusion he will get out: the state has already requested he be fitted with an electronic monitor and put on curfew when he does. His victims say neither will stop him.
