David Joseph Yates II, a 30-year-old male from Lincolnton, North Carolina, was found dead on June 7, 2018, in the area of Ivey Drive and Humphrey Road in Gastonia, NC. His body was discovered by a home health nurse, Ashley Green, who was in the area attending to a client. Green reported hearing gunfire earlier but did not think much of it until she found Yates lying in the roadway. Yates had suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen, which ultimately led to his death.
His girlfriend was present at the scene but did not call the police immediately. Instead, she disposed of needles and drugs found in Yates' book bag before Green arrived.
The investigation into Yates' death led to the arrest of four individuals: David Keith Bridges, 24, and James Lee Flanagan, 26, both from Kings Mountain; Amanda Kelly Hoppel, 25, from Gastonia; and Jordan William Gigee, 28, from Blacksburg, South Carolina. The suspects were detained near Grover in Cleveland County and were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and first-degree kidnapping. All four suspects were held without bond and had their first court appearances scheduled for June 8, 2018.
The suspects had varying degrees of association with each other and with Yates. The investigation revealed that Yates had prior arrests, which may have played a role in the events leading up to his murder. The presence of several yellow markers at the scene, typically used by police to mark shell casings, indicated that multiple shots were fired. Undercover and uniformed detectives were present at the scene, and several undercover officers left the area wearing body armor shortly after noon on the day of the incident.
The case attracted significant attention from local law enforcement, with District Attorney Locke Bell and Assistant District Attorney Meghan Rhoden being called to the scene as part of standard practice in homicide cases. The investigation into Yates' death continued as authorities worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. The need for a constant police presence in the neighborhood raised concerns among residents, highlighting the impact of the crime on the local community.
