UNCC Parking Deck Robbers Arrested

Earlier today, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team took Gerald Antonio Stanley, III and Demarice Deon Terrell into custody on warrants for their arrest for the June 2, 2011, robbery at a UNCC parking deck. The third suspect, Gregory Dabray Deas was arrested by VCAT yesterday. All three suspects were arrested without incident.

The vehicle which was stolen during the robbery was located by The Aviation Unit with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in a remote wooded area, within the vicinity of where Mr. Deas was located and apprehended in the University City Division yesterday. 

Detectives with CMPD’s Electronic Monitoring Unit assisted in the investigation, as Mr. Deas was on Electronic Monitoring at the time of the robbery. This joint investigation between the CMPD and UNCC is ongoing. Anyone with information in this case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

All three suspects have been charged with Armed Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery and Financial Transaction Card Theft.  All three suspects are currently in the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Who Killed Irina Yarmolenko?

On Monday afternoon, a jet skier spotted a car and a deceased female on an embankment near the Catawba River in Mount Holly. (Gaston County) She asked nearby construction workers to call police.

Police have identified the victim as 20-year old Irina "Ira" Yarmolenko. (Photo Right) Police have ruled her death a homicide and said she died from asphyxiation.

Irina was a student at UNC-Charlotte and was last seen in the University area of Charlotte prior to her disappearance. The Mt. Holly Police Dept & UNCC Police Department are working together to solve the case.

Irina Yarmolenko was last seen on Monday morning at approx. 10:50 am, when she left Jackson’s Java- a coffee shop located in the Town Centre Plaza off University City Boulevard. Her body was discovered in Gaston County around 1:15 pm. Police are trying to piece together her whereabouts on Monday between 10:50 am - 1:15pm.

When Irina disappeared, she was driving her 1998 blue 4-door Saturn. (NC Tag XRD-5018) If you have any information for police, please call the Mount Holly Police Department at 704-827-4343 or UNC Charlotte Police at 704-687-2200 or Gaston County Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000.

Links:
- Surveillance Video from Goodwill
- Listen to 911 Call
- Fox News: Mystery Surrounds Death of UNCC Student
- Gaston Gazette

UNCC Campus Crime Alerts...

In the past couple of weeks, dozens of UNCC students and faculty members have had their vehicles broken into on campus. UNCC Campus police reported at least 30 car break-ins on campus. Most of the cars were parked near the edge of campus and police are increasing patrols in the hard-hit parking lots.

On Wednesday around 3:00 pm, a student reported that someone had assaulted them with “BB” type objects (possibly yellow in color) in the vicinity of Phillips Road and Broadrick Road. During the investigation, another student anonymously reported someone had assaulted him in a similar fashion several days ago and he had not reported the incident. The student left without providing the police his name.

The suspects are described as 4 or 5 black males operating a silver Neon. The weapons used may be an air gun discharging plastic projectiles. Police need your assistance in locating or identifying these suspects. In addition, any person who has been assaulted in similar circumstances is asked to come forward and report these incidents to the UNCC police by calling 704-687-2200.