CHARLOTTE — A man who cut the throat of Uber driver Marlo Johnis Medina-Chevez during a 2017 robbery was sentenced Wednesday and will spend the rest of his life in prison, the district attorney announced.
Elsa Medina heard the Charlotte jury convict her husband’s killer.
“I say, ‘OK, it’s done. It’s over. That’s it,’” she said.
Diontray Adams’ trial began on July 26 and ended with the jury’s guilty verdict. Adams, 29, was found guilty of first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to life without parole.
On May 20, 2017, Adams and his co-defendant, James Aaron Stevens, planned to rob an Uber driver, prosecutors said. Medina-Chevez picked them up in his Nissan Pathfinder and Adams pulled out a BB gun and pointed it at the driver.
RELATED COVERAGE:
- Friends, family to say goodbye to slain Charlotte Uber driver
- Uber driver worked to raise money for family vacation
- Friends hand out fliers as search of missing Uber driver continues
- [PHOTOS: CMPD conducting search for missing Uber driver in Rock Hill]
- Men charged in case of slain Uber driver extradited to Charlotte
- Police: Body found believed to be that of Uber driver
- Warrants issued for 2 men in North Carolina man’s death
Medina-Chevez fought back and grabbed the gun. The district attorney said Adams pulled Medina-Chevez into the backseat and slit the driver’s throat with a utility knife.
Adams and Stevens then drove the Pathfinder to South Carolina and dumped the body in a field.
Medina-Chevez’s family reported him missing and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police learned that his debit card was used in Maryland.
>> Reading this story in our app? The new “Follow the Lead” feature allows you to tap the blue tag indicated with a ‘+’ to subscribe to alerts on the very latest breaking news updates.
On May 22, 2017, authorities in Maryland notified CMPD detectives that the victim’s Pathfinder was seen near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Adams and Stevens were inside the SUV when authorities pulled it over.
Investigators also discovered that the suspects were in the Rock Hill area at the time of the murder. Police and K-9 units found Medina-Chevez’s body on May 25, 2017.
Medina said that her husband not only lost his life, but her daughters also lost their father over a car.
“(The suspects) never (thought) of my husband’s life,” Medina told Channel 9.
Medina wanted her husband to stay home that night instead of driving for Uber. She said he insisted on a few short trips.
“I (said), ‘Don’t go please. I don’t want to stay at home,’” she said.
Medina still wears her wedding ring. This year would have been their 25th anniversary. They had talked about going to Hawaii, which is a trip she plans to still take.
“He’s not here, but I’m here,” she said.
Medina said that she has felt loved and supported by the community who never forgot about her husband. “I want to thank you everybody,” she said.
Stevens already pleaded guilty in connection with the murder and will be sentenced later.
(Watch the video below: Daughter of slain Uber driver denied visa to attend alleged killers’ plea hearing)
©2021 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
