Second defendant pleads guilty in 2022 west Charlotte robbery killing of 19-year-old Yimere Joyner
Guilty plea resolves another major piece of a long-running homicide case
A second defendant has pleaded guilty in connection with the July 2022 killing of 19-year-old Yimere Joyner in west Charlotte, a case prosecutors have described as stemming from an attempted robbery that ended in gunfire.
Court records and prior charging documents show Joyner was found shot on July 5, 2022, at an apartment complex in the 1700 block of Camp Greene Street, near Freedom Drive. He was pronounced dead at the scene after officers located him with a gunshot wound.
What the second plea means for the prosecution
The second defendant, Sir Anthony Sintari Hepburn, entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. The plea brings the number of defendants who have admitted criminal responsibility in the case to two.
Under North Carolina practice, second-degree murder pleas generally resolve a homicide charge without a trial, while still resulting in a felony conviction and a prison sentence. A conspiracy count addresses an agreement to commit an underlying offense—in this case, an alleged plan to carry out a robbery with a dangerous weapon.
- Charge resolved by plea: second-degree murder
- Additional felony resolved by plea: conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon
- Case origin: shooting death of Yimere Joyner on July 5, 2022
Earlier plea by a co-defendant
The first guilty plea in the case was entered on January 23, 2025, when Demetrius Mason pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. With Hepburn’s plea now entered, two of the defendants charged in the case have accepted responsibility through negotiated resolutions rather than a jury trial.
How the case developed from the initial arrests
In the weeks after the shooting, investigators announced arrests tied to the death and alleged robbery conspiracy. Nyquan Demartrice Marriner and Demetrius Mason were identified as suspects in 2022, and both faced charges that included murder and robbery-related offenses.
Charging documents at the time alleged that the suspects conspired to rob Joyner. The initial public case narrative has centered on that alleged robbery plan and the fatal shooting that followed.
Outstanding charges remain for another defendant
Even with two guilty pleas now entered, the broader case is not fully closed. Marriner has faced a more extensive list of charges in court records, including first-degree murder and additional offenses connected to the robbery allegations and the shooting. As of this week, those charges remain pending.
The case illustrates how Mecklenburg County homicide prosecutions may reach resolution in stages, with separate defendants entering pleas at different times as proceedings continue.