Walker discovers dead man in Charlotte park, CMPD says relative of victim arrested
A man walking through east Charlotte’s McAlpine Creek Park discovered the body of 55-year-old Van Thien Huynh on Sunday afternoon and police say they’ve arrested a relative of Huynh’s in connection with his death.
Huynh was last seen Friday morning and reported missing on Saturday. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says his death is being investigated as a homicide. On Tuesday, officers arrested Anthony Huynh, 21. Police did not say how the two men are related but said Van Thien Huynh was shot.
According to public records, Van Thien Huynh owned Van’s EZ Tax and Services on Central Avenue and lived in a neighborhood off Idlewild Road.
Shark Evans, 44, found Huynh’s body, according to a CMPD police report.
Evans told the Observer in a phone interview he was walking Sunday through the park when he spotted a man lying in the creek. He says he noticed the man wasn’t breathing and that there was blood nearby and on the man’s body.
“I saw blood on him,” he said.
Evans wasn’t sure how the man had died. He says he began to feel the situation looked “more and more suspicious.”
“I got out of my curiosity and investigation mode and took off,” he recalled.
Evans said he called police, met officers at the nearby Planet Fitness on Sardis Road North and led them on a 10 to 15 minute walk to a remote spot in the woods. He estimated the creek near the location is about four feet wide.
Evans, a industrial welder, said he lives half a mile away from McAlpine Creek Park and walks through the park for enjoyment nearly every day.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Anthony Huynh remained in Mecklenburg County jail, according to sheriff’s office records.
An investigation is ongoing. Authorities ask that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
Van Thien Huynh’s death marks Charlotte’s 15th homicide of the year. This time last year, the city had experienced 20 homicides.
This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 11:17 AM.
