Mooresville police investigating hit-and-run that killed 20-year-old woman

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Mooresville police said Wednesday that detectives have spoken with the “individual involved” in a hit-and-run that left a 20-year-old dead on Sunday.

MPD didn’t identify the individual, but the department said more details will be available “when the investigation is complete.”

Earlier

Police in Mooresville are asking for help finding a vehicle that was involved in a hit-and-run crash that left one person dead this weekend.

Channel 9 learned that the victim’s boyfriend found her dead on the side of a road after she was walking home.

The Mooresville Police Department says officers were called to a crash on Rocky River Road between Milroy Lane and Royalton Road just after 12 a.m. Sunday. Officers found a woman had been hit, and she died at the scene.

The victim was identified as 20-year-old Shaelyn Ellen Bell of Mooresville.

According to the department, officers found a piece of a front bumper belonging to a white 2023-2025 Kia Seltos at the scene. Police believe it’s connected, and they’re looking for the suspected vehicle.

Channel 9′s Dave Faherty saw pieces of the car along the side of the road on Tuesday. One neighbor who lives across the street from where the crash happened said she woke up to the lights from police and first responders Sunday morning.

“I think it’s horrible. If they thought they hit something, the thing to have done would have been to stop to see what happened,” said Cathy Witherspoon.

Bell’s mother lives in Syracuse, New York, and she shared photos of the 20-year-old. She told Faherty that Bell visited her boyfriend at work and was walking home when she was hit.

“She was such a sweet, sweet, caring girl. I just can’t believe that somebody would actually leave the scene and just leave her there on the side of the road by herself,” said Stephanie Sherlock.

Police say they’ve recovered evidence from the scene, but they’re encouraging the driver to come forward.

“Somebody drove into somebody’s neighborhood, somebody has seen this in their neighborhood. Somebody knows this car, that’s what we’re asking for,” said Mooresville Police Chief Ron Campurciani. “There’s a young woman who is going to be 20 years old forever because of this.”

Faherty learned that people have reached out to the local body shops in town, and neighbors say they’ve stepped up patrols in hopes of finding that car.

If you have information on the Kia, you’re asked to call 704-420-1105.

(VIDEO: Catawba County deputy injured in crash responding to 911 call)

Catawba County deputy injured in crash responding to 911 call

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