Charlotte homicide victim found in woods as police search for suspect

Police on Friday found the body of a 20-year-old homicide victim in woods near Interstate 485 in west Charlotte.

Jacob Hernandez's family reported him missing on Thursday. Police said they found his body in the 100 block of Rhyne Station Road with help from their human remains detection dog, Morty.

Police said they obtained warrants charging 18-year-old Jaime Joel Melendez Suarez with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. Police later upgraded the charge to murder.

Police believe Hernandez was shot in the 4200 block of South Boulevard and taken to Rhyne Station Road. Suarez had not been found as of Saturday.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call police at 704-432-8477 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

This story was originally published April 6, 2018 at 10:47 PM with the headline "Charlotte homicide victim found in woods as police search for suspect."