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Posted: 11:21 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20, 2012
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police homicide detectives traveled to Fayetteville to question and pick up homicide suspect Mark Cox, 22.
Cox was returned to Charlotte on Tuesday and booked into the Mecklenburg County jail and charged with murder and two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Fayetteville police caught up with Cox Monday and arrested him in connection with the robbery and slaying of Danielle Watson, who was working at the Flying Biscuit Cafe in Ballantyne.
Her body was found near a trash bin in the Stonecrest Shopping Center Saturday morning. Police said Cox robbed the restaurant, killed Watson and stole her car.
After a weekend manhunt, Cox was captured at the home of a friend in Fayetteville around 1 p.m. Monday.
Watson's car was located at an apartment complex a couple of blocks away. The car was towed to CMPD headquarters on Tuesday morning.
Watson was two months pregnant and planned to marry her fiancé Keith Smith next Sunday.
Eyewitness News spoke to Smith moments after he got news of Cox's arrest. "I want him to go away from me forever." Smith said, "I don't want to see his face. I don't want to hear about him, just go away."
Cox already has a criminal history that includes arrests for robbery and burglary. He spent three years behind bars and was just released in November.
Eyewitness News contacted the corporate office of the Flying Biscuit Café to find out if the company knew about Cox's past when he was hired. In a statement, the company responded, "Since this is an active investigation, we cannot comment on the circumstances, however our thoughts and prayers are with Danielle's family and friends."
The restaurant is currently closed but plans to reopen later this week.
When Mark Cox is brought back to Charlotte, he will be booked in the Mecklenburg County jail on charges of armed robbery and murder.
“I’m glad they caught him,” said Watson’s fiancé, Keith Smith. “I got the chance to talk to her mom. She found out from me.”
Smith said the arrest will not bring Danielle back, but it does answer some of the questions.
Smith said nothing can dull the pain of losing his fiancée. “I just want him to go away from me forever. I don’t want to see his face. I don’t want to hear about him. Just go away,” he said.
On Monday, police released a 911 call from Smith.
Smith said he will always replay the call he made to 911 late Friday night worried that his fiancée was in serious danger.
“What’s your girlfriend’s name?” the 911 operator asked.
“Danielle Watson,” Smith replied. “She gets off at 9 p.m. She should have been home hours ago, but it did sound like there was some kind of commotion in the background.”
Officers would not get to Watson in time that night because of two critical communication breakdowns.
The first came when Smith told the operator where she was.
“Where do you need police?” asked the 911 operator.
“Rea Road,” Smith said.
“Is it a house or an apartment?” the 911 operator asked.
“It’s a business. I believe it’s being robbed,” Smith said.
Channel 9 listened to the call several times and could not tell if Smith said 3930 or 7930 Rea Road.
On Monday afternoon, police said they could not tell either.
“I’ve listened to it dozens of times as well and I can also hear it both ways,” said CMPD Capt. Mike Campagna.
Still, Campagna said officers might have gotten to the right place if the operator had not made a mistake relaying the business’ name.
“What’s the name of the business?” asked the 911 operator.
“Flying Biscuit,” said Smith.
Smith clearly said the Flying Biscuit, but Campagna said that operator sent officers to the Plum Biscuit, a business that does not exist.
“I think we need to go back and look and see if the call-taker followed all the policies,” Campagna said.
Campagna said the operator is on administrative leave while they look at ways to prevent breakdowns like that in the future.
Smith told Channel 9 that he would like to believe it would have mattered but that, by that time, it was already too late.
“I know I said the right stuff. I know I did. But, I always feel whatever happened had already happened,” Smith said.
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