Khaled Mohamad Elmerkabaoui, a 55-year-old male, was tragically killed on December 9, 2017, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Khaled, who worked as a clerk at a 7-Eleven convenience store on Westinghouse Boulevard, was shot and killed during a robbery. The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. when Geoffrey Ford, 48, stormed into the store and gunned down Khaled, who did not resist the robbery.
Following the murder, the police launched an investigation and quickly identified Geoffrey Ford as
the primary suspect. Ford was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Treyvonte Lockhart, 33, was also arrested and charged as an accessory to the robbery. Lockhart was the getaway driver and assisted Ford in the crime.
The case went through years of litigation. On April 19, 2022, Geoffrey Ford pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Khaled Elmerkabaoui. He was sentenced to 25-31 years in prison by Judge Alan Z. Thornburg. Treyvonte Lockhart also pleaded guilty to being an accessory to a robbery with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to 15-27 months in prison.
The tragic death of Khaled Mohamad Elmerkabaoui, a 55-year-old male, left a lasting impact on the community. He was known for his kindness and generosity, often offering coffee to police officers who visited the store. The swift action by law enforcement and the subsequent convictions of Ford and Lockhart brought some measure of justice to Khaled's family and the community.
