Demarco Trayvon Pegues, a 31-year-old African American male, was found shot to death inside a vehicle outside a Panera Bread in the Whitehall Commons Shopping Plaza in Charlotte, North Carolina, on March 29, 2018. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to the scene just before noon and discovered Pegues with a gunshot wound. Medic pronounced him dead at the scene.
The car was parked near the Panera Bread in the 8100 block of South Tryon Street.
The investigation revealed that Pegues and the suspect, Jeffrey Javon Boggs, 24, knew each other. Detectives located Boggs at a hotel on Lucky Penny Street in Charlotte after obtaining a warrant for his arrest in connection with the shooting. CMPD charged Boggs with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and communicating threats. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.
On June 28, 2023, Jeffrey Boggs, now 29, was convicted of the murder of Demarco Pegues. The court found that Pegues and Boggs had agreed to meet in the parking lot of the shopping center, where Boggs fatally shot Pegues while they were inside the vehicle. Officers arrived on the scene and found Pegues dead inside the car. Boggs was arrested the following day at a hotel on Lucky Penny Street and charged with murder. Several years later, he was found guilty of murder and a firearm offense. The judge sentenced Boggs to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The case has left a lasting impact on Pegues' family, particularly his father, who has publicly expressed his forgiveness towards his son's killer. Despite the pain and heartbreak, Pegues' father has found solace in his faith and has made it his mission to keep his son's legacy alive. The conviction of Jeffrey Boggs brought a sense of justice to the family, although it came with its own heartbreak, as both families were deeply affected by the tragedy.
