FROM STAFF REPORTS
Two juveniles face two counts of first-degree murder in connection with a double homicide that occurred near Mooresville in March following an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrests of a 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old male in a news release on Wednesday. Both suspects are charged with two counts of first-degree murder, felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, three counts of felony armed robbery, and felony conspiracy to commit murder.
The charges stem from the March 9 robbery and shooting deaths of Eduardo Cordova, 22, and Caleb Loper, 24. Both men were shot and killed at a residence at 109 Home Drive near Mooresville.
A third juvenile, who is also a 15-year-old male, has been charged with felony assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer as a result of the ICSO investigation. He is accused of shooting at officers during a standoff in the hours after the murders.
This investigation began when ICSO patrol deputies responded to the residence following report of shots being fired. When the deputies arrived at the residence, they located two deceased victims and one victim who was seriously injured with gunshot wounds. The surviving victim was transported to a medical center with life-threatening injuries.
Additional ICSO deputies, criminal investigators and crime scene detectives responded to the scene. Information was quickly obtained at the crime scene which led deputies to a residence at 1580 Ostwalt Amity Road near Troutman, according to the news release.
When the deputies arrived at the Ostwalt Amity address, they were confronted by a male inside the home armed with a rifle, and he was also wearing body armor, Campbell said. The armed suspect fired at the deputies from inside the home forcing deputies to secure a perimeter around the house, according to the news release.
The house was surrounded and the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team responded to the scene. Negotiators contacted the male suspect in the house, identified as Justin Michael Strawser, and attempted to get him to come out. It was determined there were four teenage juveniles inside the home, who were also being uncooperative with the negotiators and refused to come out of the home, Campbell said.
During negotiations, Strawser confessed his involvement in the homicides on Home Drive earlier that evening, according to the news release.
For several hours, negotiators attempted to talk with Strawser and get the juveniles to come out of the home, but Strawser continued firing his weapon at the deputies, Campbell said. After negotiations failed, non-lethal gas was introduced into the house.
The four juveniles came out of the home and were secured by SERT Team members.
Strawser then came out of the home still wearing body armor, shooting directly at the deputies with his rifle. Deputies shot at Strawser and killed him, Campbell said.
ICSO homicide detectives continued the investigation into the murders on Home Drive. Statements obtained from witnesses indicated that three suspects were observed leaving the scene, one of whom was identified as Strawser.
Detectives executed search warrants at Home Drive and at the residence on Ostwalt Amity Road and collected numerous items of evidence including electronic devices, firearms, and DNA.
As a result of this investigation and the evidence obtained, investigators determined two of the four juveniles inside the home at 1580 Ostwalt Amity Road had accompanied Justin Strawser to 109 Home Drive and were involved in the homicides, Campbell said.
Investigators also determined another one of the juveniles had fired shots at deputies during the standoff.
Two of the juveniles are being held in South Carolina, and the third is being held in a juvenile detention facility in North Carolina, awaiting upcoming juvenile court proceedings.
Ashlee Louise Klepfer, 40, of 1580 Ostwalt Amity Road, Troutman, was arrested on March 12 and charged with felony accessory after the fact, five counts of misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor, four counts of fail to secure firearms from a minor, felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession with intent to sell or deliver methamphetamine, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and misdemeanor possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. She is currently being held in the Iredell County Detention Center under a $1.05 million bond.