STANLY COUNTY, N.C. — A 26-year-old man has been charged with 1st Degree Murder after an assault case turned fatal, officials confirm.
The Stanly County Sheriff's Office received a report of an assault in which the victim, 19-year-old Taylor Savannah Liles, arrived at the emergency room in Atrium Stanly in Albemarle.
She was transported to Atrium Health’s CMC in Charlotte, and passed away Sunday night, according to Stanly County officials.
Officials say further investigation shows the assault occurred at a residence on North Kendall Street in Norwood, North Carolina. Lequinton Orlando Melton, 26, of Norwood was arrested following the investigation.
Melton was charged with 1st Degree Murder and is being held in the Ralph McSwain Detention Center under no bond, officials confirm.
The incident happened at 11 a.m. Saturday. The assault was not a stabbing, sexual assault or strangulation, officials say, but it was a physical assault.
"We would like to add that a number of threatening social media posts are circulating in this matter which are completely discouraged," Captain Chris Huneycutt with the Stanly County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "This is a difficult time for all involved, and disparaging remarks are not beneficial to anyone. We ask that the people refrain from spreading false rumors, making threats and posting inflammatory comments."