On November 19, 2024, at approximately 10:45 a.m., 29-year-old Anthony "A.J." Zellars Jr. was fatally shot while performing his duties as a parking enforcement worker at the Townes Apartments on West Arrowhead Road in Charlotte, North Carolina. Employed by Lot Management Solutions, Zellars was in the process of placing a boot on a vehicle due to parking violations when the vehicle's driver confronted him and, during the altercation, shot him.
Emergency responders pronounced Zellars dead at the scene.
Zellars was a respected member of the community, known for his dedication and work ethic. He graduated from Jefferson Forest High School in Forest, Virginia, and Radford University in Radford, Virginia, with a passion for criminal justice and law enforcement. At the time of his death, he was engaged to Amilya Mixon and was a father figure to her son, Kase. His family described him as having a loving spirit and a tremendous impact on many lives, expressing deep sorrow over the loss.
Following a nearly month-long investigation, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department identified 28-year-old Marquell Pettiford as a suspect in Zellars' murder. On December 13, 2024, Pettiford was arrested without incident and charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was subsequently transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. Zellars' family has expressed gratitude for the progress in the case and is seeking swift justice and full accountability for the crime.
