In the early morning hours of May 12, 2019, the life of 22-year-old Cedric Breyan Carter was tragically cut short in Hampton, Virginia. Police responded to a call about a fight in the vicinity of Nickerson Boulevard and Bridgeport Cove. While en route, the situation escalated to a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered Carter in the road, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of the young Black man led Hampton police to identify two suspects. The first, 18-year-old Kaleb Nicol of Hampton, was apprehended on May 29, 2019, in Virginia Beach. Initially, Nicol faced three counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling. However, as the investigation progressed, his charges were upgraded to include one count of murder. The second suspect was identified as 18-year-old Cyndekah Zyeir Evans-Wilson, also from Hampton, who was known by the nickname 'Bobby.' Authorities issued warrants for his arrest on charges of murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a juvenile. For years, Evans-Wilson remained at large, and he was considered armed and dangerous.
After his arrest, Kaleb Nicol's case proceeded through the legal system. In October 2019, a grand jury indicted him on several charges, including second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Ultimately, Nicol entered an Alford plea to amended charges of voluntary manslaughter and shooting in the commission of a felony. This type of plea allows a defendant to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution has enough evidence to likely secure a conviction. In exchange for his plea, the remaining charges were dropped. The court sentenced Nicol to a total of 15 years of incarceration, with five of those years suspended. He later appealed the decision, but the appeal was found to be without merit.
For nearly five years, Cyndekah Zyeir Evans-Wilson evaded capture. His time as a fugitive came to an end on June 13, 2024, during a traffic stop in Waynesboro, Virginia. After the vehicle he was a passenger in was pulled over for traffic violations, Evans-Wilson attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. At the time of his arrest, he was also facing new charges of possession with intent to sell or distribute, possessing a firearm while in possession of drugs, and providing a false identity to law enforcement. He was taken into custody on the outstanding warrants from Hampton related to the 2019 death of Cedric Breyan Carter and is being held without bond.
