Man wanted in 2016 deadly shooting of mother at party in custody - | WBTV Charlotte

A man wanted in the 2016 deadly shooting of a woman at a Cleveland County party is in custody.

Antarious Qaushard Byers, 24, is facing charges of second-degree murder in the death of Deasia Washington. 

Byers, who deputies say was on the run, was pulled over on March 3 for having his headlights out. Park rangers said they smelled marijuana and found a gun in Byers' pants during a pat down. 

"At the time, Byers, a member of the United Blood Nation Nine Trey Gangster criminal gang, who goes by the street name "Bang," was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a federal RICO indictment," deputies say, in addition to murder. 

Byers also faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, discharging a firearm into occupied property causing serious bodily injury, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Washington was 23 years old when she was shot and killed at a party on October 9, 2016. According to investigators, Byers was trying to shoot someone else after a fist fight outside the house, but instead shot Washington who, "from all indications, he did not even know, when his shot missed its target and went through the wall of the residence."

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“This is a tragic event. This young lady went to a party to have fun with her friends, and was senselessly murdered by some coward she didn’t even know, who was trying to kill someone else after a fist fight," said Sheriff Alan Norman. "He is a cowardly thug who has perpetrated misery on people for years, from failing to support his children to gang-banging, now to murder."

Deputies said out of the nearly 100 people at the party, the sheriff's office got very little help in identifying a suspect.

Byers remains in custody and will be brought to North Carolina to face charges.

"It was a great day when this serial predator was taken off the streets," Sheriff Alan Norman said. "Most importantly, I am ecstatic for the family of Deasia Washington, because the coward who murdered their loved one, is in a jail cell where he belongs," Norman said. 

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