Suspect accused of killing man delivering newspapers is out of hospital and in jail

Roger Best – the man accused of gunning down a newspaper delivery man in an attempted robbery – has been released from a local hospital and is now in the Mecklenburg County jail on murder charges.

Records show Best, 22, was booked into the jail late Tuesday, after spending a week in a local hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound. Investigators say that wound occurred when newspaper carrier Walter “Wes” Scott Jr. returned fire during an attempted robbery.

Best is charged with first degree murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and conspiring to commit a felony larceny.

He has been arrested six times in Mecklenburg County and has been in prison twice before. Best’s lengthy history of run ins with the law includes convictions on assaulting a government official, shoplifting, breaking into a vehicle and cutting off his ankle monitor. He got out of prison just over a year ago, in January 2015.

Investigators believe Best killed Walter “Wes” Scott Jr., 65, Feb. 15 at 2:20 a.m. while Scott was delivering newspapers to a convenience store near Romare Bearden Park.

The scenario of how shots were exchanged between the two men has not been released by police. Investigators say Best was wounded in the exchange and was seeking help that morning when he flagged down officers on West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near South Tryon Street.

Scott was a South Carolina State Constable who carried a gun as he delivered newspapers to hotels, shops and stores in the uptown area. He had delivered newspapers in the city for more than 30 years and worked as a contractor for a company that delivered The Charlotte Observer.

This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 6:34 AM with the headline "Suspect accused of killing man delivering newspapers is out of hospital and in jail."