On July 28, 2024, at approximately 2 a.m., deputies from the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of a body on the northbound side of U.S. Highway 321, north of N.C. Highway 268, near Lenoir, North Carolina. Upon arrival, they discovered the body of 47-year-old Jeimy Alexander Bohorquez-Reyes from Charlotte, who had died from apparent gunshot wounds.
Bohorquez-Reyes, a husband and father of two children aged 8 and 10, had been working as an independent driver, providing local transportation services in the Charlotte area. On the night of July 27, he was contacted by a woman requesting a ride for three individuals to a location approximately two hours from Charlotte. Despite initial hesitations, he agreed to the trip and maintained communication with his wife, Sandra, throughout the evening. The last known contact was around 11:40 p.m., after which he failed to respond to further messages.
Several hours after the discovery of his body, Bohorquez-Reyes' vehicle, a burgundy 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was located in Charlotte. Evidence suggested an attempt had been made to set the car on fire. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department initiated a parallel investigation into the attempted arson.
A joint investigation involving the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation led to the arrest of three individuals in connection with the murder. On August 6, 2024, authorities charged 21-year-old Felix Alexander Mejia of Charlotte with first-degree murder. Mejia was also served with warrants from Mecklenburg County for burning personal property and malicious use of an incendiary device. He is being held without bond at the Caldwell County Detention Center.
Additionally, 18-year-old Ricci Elisabeth Cano Puerto of Charlotte was charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and is being held on a $250,000 secured bond. Another suspect, 20-year-old Rina Marbella Cano, also from Charlotte, is in custody in Mecklenburg County on unrelated charges and has an active warrant for arrest for accessory after the fact to first-degree murder from Caldwell County.
The motive behind the murder remains under investigation. Bohorquez-Reyes' family, who had relocated from Colombia to Charlotte in 2022 seeking a safer environment, is devastated by the loss. His wife, Sandra, has called for justice, expressing disbelief over the violent end met by her hardworking and well-regarded husband.
