From WRAL Reports

Posted: Mar 13, 2008
Updated: Sep 19, 2008

ORANGE COUNTY — Heavily armed Durham police, surrounding a house before dawn Thursday, captured the second of two men charged with murder in the shooting of the student body president at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Lawrence Alvin Lovette Jr., 17, surrendered to officers from the department's Selective Enforcement Team outside a house on Cook Road. Police had surrounded the house hours before.

Lovette's arrest came about 24 hours after Durham police arrested the other suspect at another Durham home. They took Demario James Atwater, 21, of 414-B Macon St., into custody at about 5 a.m. Wednesday during a raid at a house on Rosedale Avenue.

He spent most of Wednesday being questioned at the Chapel Hill Police Department, and detectives charged him Wednesday afternoon with one count of first-degree murder in the March 5 slaying of the 22-year-old Carson.

Wednesday, police had raided a house on Shepherd Street looking for Lovette. They did not find him then and continued searching through Wednesday evening.

In announcing Atwater's arrest on Wednesday, Chapel Hill Police Chief Brian J. Curran said, "This is still an active and ongoing investigation." He declined to comment on specific details about the killing.

Who Are the Suspects?

Curran said Atwater and Lovette were the men captured in two sets of surveillance photos made public in the days following Carson's death. Investigators received hundreds of calls because of their release, he said.

Lovette was identified as the driver in ATM surveillance photos. Police were trying to pin down whether he was driving Carson's blue Toyota Highlander at the time.

Two surveillance photos from a convenience store show a man, whom police said was Atwater, inside at the time an attempt was made to use Carson’s debit card at an ATM in that store.

Atwater has a criminal record dating to 2004, including charges of robbery, drug possession and resisting arrest. He was due in court earlier this month on a breaking-and-entering charge.

In 2006, he was sentenced to 24 months' probation for possession of a firearm as a felon. He had a court date on that charge the week before Carson's death.

Court records also show Lovette has a criminal background, with charges of breaking and entering and larceny. He is on probation for larceny and is due in Durham court this month on charges of first-degree burglary, felony larceny of a motor vehicle and felony larceny after breaking and entering.

Search Intensifies for Lovette in Durham

The home where police first looked for Lovette is owned by Melissa Lovette, who neighbors said is likely Lawrence Lovette’s grandmother.

Officers removed children from a day-care operation inside and monitored the house for more than two hours before throwing concussion grenades inside and searching the building.

Lovette never emerged, and SET officers left a few minutes later. State Bureau of Investigation agents moved in to collect evidence.

The afternoon drama included the evacuation of surrounding homes and the dismissal of students from Morehead Montessori School across the street. Parents were called to pick up their children from the school’s gymnasium, which is on the far side of the building from the police activity.

The police action stunned neighbors.

“Ms. Lovette is such a sweet neighbor, a sweet lady,” Jon Fish said. “We’ve seen Lawrence out shooting baskets hundreds of times.”

'Cloud of Grief' Lingers

News of an arrest spread through Chapel Hill and a relatively quiet UNC campus, where students are on spring break.

"I think that's great. I just hope they made the right arrest," UNC student Lauren Waldron said. "And I hope this whole thing can be put to rest and that Eve's family can move on, and we all can move on as a community."

Atwater's arrest came exactly one week after Chapel Hill police found Carson's body before dawn in a residential area a half-mile from the campus. The senior biology and political science major had been shot at least once in the right temple, according to a police report

"Hopefully, they have the right person. Yes, I'm glad," UNC employee Candi Day said. "If they do have the right one, I'm so glad"

Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy thanked investigators for their work on the case and reminded everyone that a "cloud of grief" lingers.

"As encouraging as the developments today are, we are still a community in grief," he said. "We have come together during this difficult time to comfort each other and to help heal our community. But we also still must offer comfort to a family in mourning."

UNC Chancellor James Moeser expressed similar sentiments in a written statement.

"Our interests are in seeing justice served and helping our community during this difficult time," he said. "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."