Two Teens Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Murder

Danielle Holmes

Danielle Alexandra Holmes, 18, and Jonathan Tyler Fitzgerald, 19, each plead guilty to 1) second-degree murder 2) robbery with a dangerous weapon and 3) conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. Danielle Holmes and Jonathan Fitzgerald were both sentenced to 246-323 months (20-27 years) in prison.

According to a press release from the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office:

On August 22, 2010, at approximately 12:00 pm, CMPD officers were called to an apartment complex on Central Avenue in reference to a stabbing. Officers arrived to find the victim, Oscar Alvarado Chavez, 22, inside a green vehicle. He had been stabbed once in the chest and twice in the neck, and had numerous defensive wounds on his hands.

Jonathan Fitzgerald

Witnesses had called 911 to report suspicious activity in the parking lot and had provided a description of a white vehicle leaving the scene. They were also able to give police the tag number from the suspect vehicle. Officers spoke to the owner of the white vehicle, who advised that he took the defendants to meet the victim for the purpose of purchasing heroin.

When they reached the designated place for the drug transaction, Defendant Holmes exited the vehicle and entered Mr. Chavez’s vehicle to make the purchase. Defendant Fitzgerald then approached Mr. Chavez’s vehicle on the driver’s side, and attacked him.

Officers later located Fitzgerald and Holmes at a hotel. A search of their room revealed 2 knives in the toilet tank along with bloody clothing that contained Mr. Chavez’s DNA. Both defendants admitted their participation in the robbery and murder of Mr. Chavez for heroin.