GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — An assault investigation Thursday night in Gaston County has led to a murder charge.
Gaston County police responded to Carolinas Medical Center Lincoln after a man was admitted with serious blunt force injuries from an assault.
Investigators discovered the assault took place on Chum Road.
The victim, 22-year-old Garrett Abernathy, was transferred to Carolinas Medical Center, in Charlotte.
Investigators identified Scottie Lee Blanton, 29, as the suspect and took him into custody Friday morning. He was charged with attempted murder.
Abernathy died from his injuries on Friday night.
Blanton’s charges were upgraded to second-degree murder, and the new charge was served by detectives while in the Gaston County Jail.
The reasons for the altercation are still under investigation. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Gaston County Police Department at 704-866-3320 or Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000.
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