In the early hours of September 6, 2024, 23-year-old JeNyah KiShawne Skyye Wright was fatally shot outside the Mission Matthews Place Apartments on Woodway Oak Circle in Charlotte, North Carolina. Emergency responders arrived shortly before 2:00 a.m. to find Wright with a gunshot wound; she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wright's boyfriend, 25-year-old Charles Wittington Hodge Jr., was present at the scene and claimed that a masked man had approached their vehicle, asked for a
lighter, and then shot Wright before fleeing. However, investigators found inconsistencies in Hodge's account. Bloody footprints led from the scene to a nearby wooded area, where a Glock .40-caliber pistol was discovered. Additionally, forensic evidence indicated that Wright was shot at close range, contradicting Hodge's narrative.
After further investigation, Hodge was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Wright's death. He was taken into custody by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office and held without bond. Wright, a mother of two young children, was remembered by family and friends as a joyful presence who brought light into the lives of those around her.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Wright's death. They have urged anyone with additional information to contact Crime Stoppers or speak directly with homicide detectives.
