Captain Anthony Stancil, a 35-year-old African American male, was tragically killed on September 29, 1998, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Captain Stancil was moonlighting as a security guard at a local Harris Teeter grocery store when he confronted a shoplifter who had stolen $11 worth of snow crab legs. During the confrontation, the suspect shot Captain Stancil in the head, resulting in his immediate death.
The suspect then stole Captain Stancil's .40-caliber service weapon and fled the scene.
The suspect, identified as 23-year-old Samuel Emanuel Mahatha, was arrested after a nine-hour manhunt. During the search for Mahatha, officers discovered the decomposing body of a female near the location where Mahatha was eventually apprehended. Mahatha was charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was tried at the Mecklenburg County Superior Court in January 2001 and was found guilty on February 9, 2001. Mahatha was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the murder of Captain Stancil and received an additional consecutive term of imprisonment for the robbery conviction.
Mahatha's trial included testimony from witnesses who were present at the scene of the crime. One witness, Kimberly Nicholson, testified that she saw two men engaged in a confrontation outside the store, followed by a loud gunshot. She saw Captain Stancil on the ground and Mahatha standing over him with a gun in his hand. Another witness, Celeste Davis, who was with Mahatha at the time, testified that she saw Mahatha running away from the store with something shiny in his hand after the shooting.
Captain Stancil was a United States Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office for eight years. He was survived by his expectant wife, two children, mother, father, and sister. His death was a significant loss to the community, and he was honored posthumously by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office during annual Peace Officers Memorial Services.
