CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A murder suspect charged with killing a woman in east Charlotte earlier this year has been linked to two other deadly shootings, including a homicide in Texas, police say.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded to a shooting on Turquoise Drive, which is just off Plott Road in the Hickory Grove area, on Jan. 19. The person who called 911 said they believed 26-year-old Diana Perez-Barrera was dead after being shot. Officers arrived at the house shortly after 6 a.m. and she was pronounced dead.
The 911 caller said he was approached by the suspect in his driveway around 4 a.m. The man told police the suspect, 33-year-old Quanticus Rucker, pulled out a gun and forced him around the house, searching for money until he found $2,000 in a backpack. He then demanded more money. The victim told the gunman that he could get more from work and pleaded to not be killed, according to an affidavit.
The man said Rucker then forced him to get into the truck of his Dodge Challenger and he was driven to an arcade on Rozzelles Ferry Road. The victim alleged that Rucker forced him to tell workers at the arcade to gather money before they arrived. The victim told security guards about the robbery when they got to the business and they confronted Rucker in the parking lot, which led to a shootout before Rucker drove off in the victim's car.
Rucker was arrested by CMPD's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team on an unrelated parole violation on Jan. 20. The Kannapolis Police Department was investigating a homicide at an arcade when an associate of Rucker's was charged with killing a security guard during an attempted robbery. Rucker was identified as a suspect in the case and Kannapolis detectives seized a .45-caliber handgun from his hotel room.
Investigators claim a shell casing from the seized gun matched the shell casing collected from the Turquoise Drive shooting, as well as a homicide in Dallas, Texas, last September. The evidence also linked Rucker to the homicide at the Kannapolis arcade. A detective in Dallas told CMPD
On Aug. 22, detectives identified Rucker as a suspect in the shooting and obtained warrants for his arrest. He was transferred into the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 29 on multiple charges. His charges include first-degree murder, armed robbery, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The affidavit says Rucker has a lengthy criminal record with multiple arrests for violent crimes, including armed robbery.
The investigation remains active and more charges could be forthcoming, detectives say. Anyone with information is asked to call 704-432-TIPS to speak directly with homicide detectives. Anonymous witnesses can also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
If your loved one was impacted by this incident, WCNC Charlotte hopes to make this process less painful with our More Than A Number initiative. With your help, we want to share who your loved one was with our viewers in North Carolina and South Carolina. When you're ready, fill out the form below or send us photos, memories and other details about them to desk@wcnc.com.