<p>barrons has posted a thread in the Parent Cafe on the update:</p>
<p>Yeah I saw the article in the AJC today with the details. I do look at those as allegations as they are based on an informant's information. I immediately shared with my daughters ....they tend to be naive about doors and locks.....
We don't want to scare them but educate them...yes it can happen and it can happen in the safest college town I know--Chapel Hill. Often its the roommates who forget to lock up leaving all at risk. Both of mine are on CAMPUS. That is good for my peace of mind.</p>
<p>Sorry Atlmom but the impression you are giving is that because a door was left unlocked, she was murdered. I don't agree with that at all. Yes, locking your door would help protect you, but I tend to think that people that murder are not stopped by a locked door. And worse, where is the outrage that these findings were not released until now. We know kids and friends at this school. Why, when the entire 2008-2009 admissions process, was all of this not told to students and parents. Either way it was a terrible things to happen, but entering a residence and taking a student and murdering her is a different story that implying she was out and about the town and no one knew why. I am appalled at the lack of concern for all in the area. And the impression that the town and the school might not want those that might be making very important decisions about where to go to college are kept in the dark about the true events of the evening. just smells a little. It can happen anywhere but it is interesting that the young lady murdered in Auburn did not have a lock on the information regarding how she died? Why exactly was this information not released to the public until now?</p>
<p>2007mom, I agree with what you're saying, but I, and most of my friends and family, had the impression that she was in her house. Though what happened hadn't been released, people were left to come up with their own ideas (either she was out in her car or at home), and because the murderers had killed the Duke student in his apartment, it didn't seem unlikely that she had been kidnapped.</p>
<p>I understand your concern, but I just don't think that Carolina was hiding information here. As it said in the article (or this may have pertained to something else), the defense attorney didn't want this information coming out. Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think that this was Carolina's call. The murder itself, no matter how it happened, I'm sure gave Carolina enough negative press so that details like this (though they ARE important) didn't matter as much to prospective students.</p>
<p>2007mom</p>
<p>This was not an attempt to hide information from incoming or prospective students or parents. While you " know kids and friends at this school" we knew Eve personally as she was among my son's closest friends.</p>
<p>The reason that the information was not released until now was that the prosecutors did not want anything, in any way,to jeopardize their case against these two monsters. A Durham reporter has been trying to get both this information and autopsy reports released for several months but the Prosecutors office has been fighting vehemently to keep the records sealed so that there would be nothing to harm their chain of evidence in the case.</p>
<p>Given that there is still the potential that this was gang related, and the fact that the identity of the confidential informant could be compromised if the information became public, you can hopefully understand why they were trying so hard to keep this sealed. It is not uncommon for Confidential informants to have threats placed against them and their families or even worse to be killed once their identities are revealed. The absence of an informant or a "changed story" after a threat or worse loss of an informant could let these two get off on the charges.</p>
<p>I understand your concerns about the greater good; my son is still in Chapel Hill two months after commencement. Their front door is never locked when they are home and they live several blocks away from the home Eve lived in.</p>
<p>I can assure you that the university is not trying to cover up anything, nor is there any "lack of concern" for all in the area. The killer in the Auburn case confessed to his crime. These two have pled not guilty. This is the reason that the informations was not released.</p>
<p>This horrible event cast an enormous pall over commencement especially for those close to Eve. They have been grieving for months now and all this has done is re-open the wounds and made it far harder to move on. I can't even imagine what this is doing to her family.</p>
<p>The Prosecutors have tried in vain to keep arrest warrants and autopsy reports sealed in order to not jeopardize their case against these two monsters. A Durham reporter has been trying to get both this information and autopsy reports released for several months but the Prosecutors office has been fighting vehemently to keep the records sealed so that there would be nothing to harm their chain of evidence in the case.</p>
<p>Given that there is still the potential that this was gang related, and the fact that the identity of the confidential informant could be compromised if the information became public, you can hopefully understand why they were trying so hard to keep this sealed. It is not uncommon for Confidential informants to have threats placed against them and their families or even worse to be killed once their identities are revealed. The absence of an informant or a "changed story" after a threat or worse loss of an informant could let these two get off on the charges.</p>
<p>You can see that their defense attorney is saying it was all based on "hearsay" which is why the prosecutors did NOT want to release ANY of this information because once it is public knowledge their case can be considerably weakened.</p>
<p>Today the information was released; this is from CNN.com</p>
<p>"The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student body president who was killed this year was shot several times, including in her head, according to her autopsy report released Monday.Unsealed warrants show Eve Carson was abducted and then shot by both men.</p>
<p>Unsealed warrants show Eve Carson was abducted and then shot by both men.</p>
<p>Eve Carson, 22, was found slain on March 5.</p>
<p>Carson's autopsy report lists six gunshot wounds, but says two were probably from the same bullet, according to North Carolina's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.</p>
<p>Carson's death shocked the community and drew national attention. An estimated 10,000 people turned out for a service remembering her.</p>
<p>Her autopsy -- released after a North Carolina newspaper filed a court motion to have it unsealed -- describes wounds to various parts Carson's body. It says shotgun wounds to her head and hand "most likely represent a single shot with the hand acting as an intermediate target."</p>
<p>One of the other four wounds was also a gunshot to her head.</p>
<p>A separate, handwritten summary of the medical examiner's report says Carson was "shot multiple times" and found lying on her back, with one arm bent behind her head.</p>
<p>The autopsy says sexual assault testing was done. It does not say whether any sign of sexual assault was found.</p>
<p>Two suspects, Demario James Atwater, 22, and Lawrence Alvin Lovette, 17, have been charged with first-degree murder. Lovette's attorney said the warrants against the suspects rely on hearsay. Atwater's attorney cautioned against "any rush to judgment."</p>
<p>Court documents released Friday say Carson was kidnapped from her apartment and forced to provide her abductors with ATM access to her bank account before she was shot to death in the early hours of March 5.</p>
<p>The documents -- applications for search warrants -- say a confidential informant told police in the days after the death that Atwater had told her he and Lovette had entered Carson's home through an open door and forced Carson to accompany them in her car.</p>
<p>The informant said she had talked with Atwater after a picture was displayed on television showing someone attempting to use Carson's ATM card at a convenience store two days after Carson's body was found.</p>
<p>The informant said the two men drove Carson to an ATM, obtaining her PIN number from her.</p>
<p>"The CW [informant] learned that Carson was forced into the back seat with Atwater, and Lovette drove Carson's vehicle," the court documents said. "That information is consistent with video footage taken from an ATM camera on that date."</p>
<p>The witness told police Atwater said the two got about $1,400 from Carson's account. Bank records show that was approximately the amount taken from the account over a two-day period, the documents said.</p>
<p>And the informant said that both suspects shot Carson, according to one of the affidavits. "This information was corroborated by crime scene search information that two separate weapons were used in the homicide," the documents said.</p>
<p>The documents said police believe Carson was subjected to a sexual assault "of an unknown nature" and asked for a search warrant to collect DNA swabs from the suspects.</p>
<p>But Orange County, North Carolina, District Attorney Jim Woodall told CNN Friday the collection and testing done on Carson's body was routine, and authorities do not believe she was sexually assaulted.</p>
<p>Prosecutors had fought to keep her autopsy sealed. Following a motion by the Raleigh News & Observer newspaper, prosecutors agreed to allow the report's release.</p>
<p>Carson, a native of Athens, Georgia, was a pre-medicine student double-majoring in political science and biology. She was a recipient of the university's prestigious Morehead Scholarship and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, UNC has said."</p>
<p>Let us ALL hope and pray that this zeal for freedom of information does not allow these two monsters to walk and not face the full consequences and punishment allowable by the law.</p>
<p>2007mom - Eve Carson lived on a short dead end street next to a church. The location looks very dark and isolated from photographs found on the Liestoppers forum. The suburban city in which I live has many similar dark, dead end streets. Friends who have a pet and house sitting business report the first item on their checklist is to lock all windows and doors. I am considered strange as I always lock my doors and my garage doors are always closed.</p>
<p>UNC offered a reward after Eve's murder. I don't think the university tried to cover anything up - the UNC paper has continuing coverage on the case. Eadad is correct in that the prosecution did not want to release this information - a local news reporter has been filing motions to get the information released. I think there are still one or two documents that have not been released.</p>
<p>What you may or not realize is that one of the individuals charged in the murder of Eve has also been charged in the murder of Duke graduate student from India, Abhijit Mahato. </p>
<p>Take a look at some of the headlines from the Duke police website in early 2008:
Police</a> News
January
Duke Student Robbed Near East Campus
Shooting Victim Identified As Duke Grad Student
Two Armed Robberies Occur Off-Campus Sunday Night
Separate incidents happen near apartments north of the Duke campus.
Robbery Reported Near Duke Hospital
Duke Police Step Up Off-Campus Patrols</p>
<p>Chapel Hill is about a 10 to 15 minute drive from Durham. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that there is more than one university in the area with students to rob.</p>
<p>Chapel Hill police are to be applauded for their quick response to the crime. They even called in the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for help. And if it had not been for the reward offered by UNC the confidential witness might not have come forward.</p>
<p>What every parent who has a college student in the area needs to do is write the Board of Trustees at their respective university and urge them to take a more active stance against crime in the Triangle area and to make protection of their students a top priority.</p>
<p>Wisconsin had its own similar case this Spring (female ug pre-med student)and they have not found any real suspects yet. Congrats to the local police for getting these guys.</p>
<p>Brittany</a> Zimmermann called 911, but no one came - Isthmus | The Daily Page</p>
<p>I think they have been very forthcoming in general. I was a little, no a LOT ****ed when the Sherriff stood up at a press conference and said they were NOT increasing patrols at a time when the perpetrators were at large. He said "business as usual" and for me, I seldom see police except on campus writing tickets or downtown writing parking tix....</p>
<p>I was VERY alarmed by this turn of events and it is a RARE occurence for such an entry, kidnapping and murder in Chapel Hill. Never heard of this type of violence. I shared with my D's because they should know what REALLY happened. YES I agree, she did nothing wrong, probably had her light on studying and that may be why they picked her and her nice car....or maybe they saw the roommates leave....who knows. Yes and of course they could have kicked in the door , we don't know. I am thankful both of my kids live ON campus but no one is safe in any location if someone wants to do them harm.</p>
<p>This is a very trajic event for our community in chapel hill and the university.<br>
I expect something like that to happen at Ga Tech and even UGA due to the size and makeup of the community.....just goes to show you...no where is safe.</p>
<p>What do we do? get involved, campussafety.org is a start for campus and off campus violence. Don't send your children off to college naive....personal alarms, mace, self awareness, self defense knowledge.....all impt. However, hard to see how Eve could have done anything else against such thugs.</p>
<p>News from WRAL today:</p>
<p>Federal carjacking charges possible in Carson case</p>
<p>CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Federal investigators are looking at carjacking charges against two suspects charged in the slaying of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson.</p>
<p>Federal carjacking can carry a death penalty sentence if federal prosecutors can prove the carjacking was committed during a homicide.</p>
<p>Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr., 17, and Demario James Atwater, 22, are each charged with first-degree murder in Carson's March 5 shooting death.</p>
<p>Chapel Hill police found the 22-year-old Athens, Ga., native dead several blocks from the UNC campus while responding to a report of gunshots.</p>
<p>Carson was shot five times, including once to her head with a shotgun, according to an autopsy report released last week.</p>
<p>Search warrants suggest both suspects might have shot Carson; a confidential informant told investigators that Atwater told her Lovette shot Carson multiple times and that Atwater subsequently shot her.</p>
<p>District Attorney Jim Woodall said last week that the two men could be indicted Monday on further state charges. The warrants also suggest Carson was robbed and kidnapped, and any new charges could be of that nature.</p>
<p>A hearing to decide whether Atwater will face the death penalty if he is convicted was scheduled for Monday but was postponed until later this week.</p>
<p>Possible federal charges are significant because Orange County juries have rarely sent someone to death row. The last defendant executed from Orange County was in 1948. It could also mean the suspects could face a more severe penalty if they are convicted.</p>
<p>Under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Lovette cannot be tried on capital murder charges, because he was under the age of 18 at the time he allegedly committed the crime.</p>
<p>Lovette is also charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 18 shooting death of Duke University graduate student Abhijit Mahato, 29. An autopsy found that he had been shot once at point-blank range in the forehead.</p>