The Cornelius, North Carolina community is mourning in deep sorrow following the tragic death of 24-year-old Demetri Niji McGruder, who was fatally stabbed inside a Ruffner Drive apartment on April 15 in Mecklenburg County. His sudden passing has left family, friends, and loved ones devastated as they struggle to come to terms with a life lost far too soon.
According to Cornelius police, the deadly incident occurred shortly after midnight inside the apartment where McGruder lived. Officers responded to reports of a stabbing and found him suffering from a fatal stab wound. Despite emergency efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind a grieving family and a community in shock.
Authorities arrested 23-year-old Makayla Hooks, who was taken into custody and booked into the Mecklenburg County jail on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of 24-year-old Demetri Niji McGruder inside the Ruffner Drive apartment on April 15. Investigators say the case remains active as they continue to review evidence and statements.
Court documents indicate Hooks gave conflicting accounts of what happened during the incident. In one statement, she described an argument in the kitchen involving a knife, while other accounts captured on body camera footage differed from her later explanation. Officials noted inconsistencies as part of their ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding McGruder’s death.
Evidence collected at the scene included a knife recovered from a butcher block with blood present, along with additional blood found inside the apartment. Authorities also documented injuries on McGruder’s body beyond the fatal wound, which are being reviewed as part of the case.
Records further show that Hooks had been previously arrested just weeks earlier on March 17 in connection with a domestic incident involving McGruder at the same residence. That earlier case included allegations of assault and domestic violence, and both individuals were listed as living together and being in a relationship at the time.
As Cornelius mourns, loved ones are remembering Demetri as a young man whose life ended in tragedy and violence. The pain of his loss is deeply felt by those who knew him best, as they hold onto memories that now bring both comfort and heartbreak.
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