Charlotte man arrested for murder of roommate in 2018 and sentenced to life in prison

Photo: Dwayne Evans, 33 (2018)

CHARLOTTE (NEWS FROM QUEEN CITY) – A Charlotte man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Mecklenburg County jury found him guilty of first-degree murder on Tuesday.

Dwayne Evans was found guilty of killing his roommate Eric Spells, 28, in 2018 and then reportedly dumping his body in York County, South Carolina.

In 2018, authorities received a missing person call around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 25, in the 100 block of South Smallwood Place.

A woman reported that her boyfriend, identified as Spells, had been missing since the night before and had not shown up to work that day after an argument with his roommate, Evans.

“Based on evidence at the home, it was quickly determined that a crime had been committed,” CMPD Capt. Chris Dozier said in 2018.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police believed based on evidence that Evans murdered Spells during an argument and then dumped his body along with two other defendants in the case.

Evans’ trial began on April 24 and ended on Tuesday, May 21, with the jury returning a guilty verdict.

The Mecklenburg District Attorney’s Homicide Unit has charged Evans with first-degree murder
Murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, concealment of death and conspiracy to do so
Covering up a death. The jury found him guilty as charged.

Judge Bell sentenced Evans to the mandatory term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Charges against the two co-defendants in the case are still pending, court officials said.