DoorDash driver shot, killed Charlotte teen he said tried to steal his car during delivery
A DoorDash driver is facing a first-degree murder charge for shooting a 15-year-old boy he said was trying to steal his car during a delivery Wednesday night, according to court records.
Keshawn Tyree Boyd, 27, allegedly shot Matthias Crockett, 15, near the 400 block of West 8th Street in the uptown area at 6:46 p.m., documents said.
Crockett was one of three people killed in homicides this week in Charlotte.
Boyd, who is from Charlotte, appeared in court with his public defender on Thursday, where details of the previous night’s events were shared.
Crockett and another man allegedly got in Boyd’s car while he was leaving a DoorDash delivery outside of someone’s door, Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC reported. Boyd told police he saw Crockett attempting to shift the car’s gears and that he suspected the duo were armed.
A police affidavit said Boyd admitted to shooting Crockett with a 9mm pistol and that the teen was unarmed. But the District Attorney’s office said a gun was found near Crockett, who was fatally shot while inside Boyd’s car, WSOC reported. A prosecutor said the person who placed the DoorDash order called 911 after seeing the shooting.
Boyd’s public defender argued he was under duress from his car almost being stolen, WSOC reported, and that DoorDash was one of his four current jobs. Boyd was acting in self-defense, the public defender said, and is not a risk to the public as he has no prior convictions.
Court records show Judge Matthew Newton ordered Boyd be held without bond. Boyd is scheduled to appear in court again in February.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spokeswoman Susan Vernon-Devlin said Crockett attended West Charlotte High School.
Paula Cook, the school’s principal, said grief counseling would be made available to students this week in a message to families. The message said Crockett was a ninth grade student.
“Sudden death can be difficult for us to understand and when a peer dies it can be especially difficult for students of the same age,” Cook’s statement said. “In addition, if your family has experienced a death or similar loss recently, this incident may bring up strong feelings and emotions like shock, overwhelming sadness, anger, or confusion, and we want to provide assistance if needed.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the defendant’s first name.
This story was originally published January 24, 2025 at 10:42 AM.
