Man charged with murder in killing of 71-year-old woman in her Charlotte home

Police charged a man with first-degree murder after a 71-year-old woman was killed in her north Charlotte home and her husband hospitalized.

Police found Santa Rodena Acevedo and her husband shot in their home in the 1900 block of Newland Road on Wednesday night. Acevedo was pronounced dead in the home, police said in a news release, while a man in the home was taken to Carolinas Medical Center. Observer news partner WBTV said the man who was shot was Acevedo’s husband.

On Friday, police issued warrants for the arrest of 50-year-old Tomka Antonio McDowell, according to a CMPD release.

McDowell was arrested without incident, interviewed at CMPD headquarters, transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill, and possession of a firearm by a felon, police said.

Police are not saying if McDowell knew the couple or if they know of a motive.

Newland Road is between Interstate 85 and Beatties Ford Road, north of LaSalle Street and the Lincoln Heights neighborhood park.

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