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'They took everything away from me:' family of slain Uber driver faces accused in court

By Blaine Tolison, wsoctv.com
By Blaine Tolison, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The family of murdered Charlotte Uber driver Marlo Medina Chevez walked out of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in uptown Thursday thinking it could be years before they have some closure.

Diontray Adams, one of two men accused of killing Medina Chevez last year, pleaded not guilty in Mecklenburg County court.

[RELATED: Men charged in case of slain Uber driver extradited to Charlotte]

Adams and James Stevens are accused of killing Medina Chevez in 2017.

Medina Chevez’s family told Channel 9 they don't hate the men who police say are responsible.

His wife, Elsa Medina, said she felt robbed of the man she knew and loved since she was 16 years old.

"They took everything away from me in one single day, but I do not hate anyone,” Elsa Medina said.

For the first time, Elsa Medina and her two daughters saw Adams in court.

"My heart was pounding, just sitting on the other side,” daughter Debra Medina said.

Medina Chevez was working as an Uber driver to earn extra money for his family. Investigators said he picked up Adams and Stevens in May of last year.

[RELATED: Friends, family to say goodbye to slain Charlotte Uber driver]

The next week, both suspects were found driving Chevez’s car in Maryland and his body was found a few days later in a Rock Hill field.

Marlo Medina-Chevez, killed May 21

Channel 9 spoke with Chevez’s heartbroken family two weeks ago and learned one of his daughters was denied a visa to travel from Honduras to Charlotte to attend Thursday’s court hearing.

[Daughter of slain Uber driver denied visa to attend alleged killers' plea hearing]

Chevez's family specifically asked prosecutors not to seek the death penalty in this case, so that option was already off the table.

Adams could have pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, kidnapping and robbery, and he would have been sentenced to prison for at least 30 years.

Since he pleaded not guilty, the case will go to trial, a process that could take years.

"It just adds on to the suffering that we were already enduring right now,” daughter Genesis Mota said. “About a dozen of them showed up in court to support them. It just goes to show how much of a great person he was. He was a great dad. He was a great husband."

Stevens is scheduled to appear in court next week when he could enter his plea.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story. 

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