CHARLOTTE — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have arrested David Gary Graves, 40, in connection with the fatal shooting of Sean Nicholas Watson, 48, during a suspected drug deal in northwest Charlotte.
Officers responded to a 911 call just after midnight on August 28, after a woman reported hearing gunshots and seeing a wounded man on her porch in the 200 block of Hoskins Mill Lane.
When police arrived, they found Watson with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Atrium Health in critical condition but died two days later on August 30.
Surveillance footage showed Watson running toward the caller’s apartment, pursued by two masked men. One of the men pointed a gun at Watson, demanding his car keys and phone. Watson reportedly said, “I ain’t got nothing” and “I knew it was a setup,” before being shot.
David Gary Graves was identified as the primary suspect and arrested on August 31. He faces charges of first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Court records indicate investigators linked Graves to the crime through surveillance footage and a series of text messages and calls exchanged with Watson about marijuana deals in the neighborhood. The final messages and a missed video call occurred minutes before the shooting.
Watson’s 2022 BMW was recovered and searched, revealing over six pounds of marijuana, nearly $1,800 in cash, spare keys to luxury cars, and bank receipts.
Graves remains held without bond. He had his first court appearance on Tuesday and is scheduled for a warrant hearing later this month. The investigation is ongoing.
