A 26-year-old man has been arrested by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police in connection with the slaying of a pregnant teenager who was found shot dead in a north Charlotte park in 2012.
Darne Brown is charged with the murder of Hawa Gabbidon and her unborn child.
This is not the first time that Channel 9 has heard Brown’s name in connection with the case. According to police, he was thought to have been the last person who spoke with Hawa before her death.
CMPD said Brown was already in custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office on unrelated charges when he was brought into police headquarters for an interview, which led to the murder charges.
Hawa’s body was found at Elder Park in north Charlotte.
Police said she was shot in the head three times.
Hawa, who was barley 17 years old, was two months' pregnant with her second child.
Police said at the time that emails showed Hawa thought Brown could have been the father.
Warrants said he was the last person to speak to her and was supposed to meet her the night she was killed, but they didn't meet.
The day that she was found in a north Charlotte park is etched in Isaac Barchue's mind.
“She said, ‘Mr. Barchue, I’m sorry, your daughter just got killed,' but I didn't believe it -- I didn't want to accept it,” he said.
Brown has been charged with murder and murder of an unborn child and will face a judge on those charges the Mecklenburg County courthouse Wednesday.