Convicted murderer claims he did not kill UNCC student

GASTONIA — The case of a murdered UNC Charlotte student is back in the spotlight.

A North Carolina innocence commission is investigating Mark Carver's claim that he did not kill Ira Yarmolenko. A jury found him guilty in 2011.

The North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence said Carver was convicted of murder on minimal evidence.

The organization now wants to take a closer look at DNA evidence from one of the most well-known murder cases in Gaston County.

Six years ago, Yarmolenko's body was discovered on the banks of the Catawba River. Carver's DNA was found on her car next to her strangled body.

Yarmolenko's brother told reporter Ken Lemon by phone Monday that the courts did their job.

"If there is new evidence or something of that nature then of course it should be reviewed, but as far as I know there is nothing new to discuss," Yarmolenko's brother said.

District Attorney Locke Bell said the state Supreme Court reviewed arguments for an appeal and refused to change Carver's life sentence.

"He is guilty. The North Carolina Supreme Court said that he got a fair trial," said Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell.

Bell said Actual Innocence representatives called his office and asked him to release the DNA evidence.

"And I asked her, 'Why should I help you to get somebody off that (I) firmly believe is guilty?" Carver said.

"It sounds like you don't have very much confidence in your verdict," said defense attorney Brent Ratchford.

Carver's defense attorney said Bell, who has the only copy of the evidence, should let Actual Innocence review it.

"This is the best system in the world, but sometimes the system does get it wrong," Ratchford said.

Actual Innocence is preparing to get a judge's order and force the district attorney to hand over the DNA evidence.