Man just out of jail arrested, charged in Thanksgiving Day murder in Gastonia

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GASTONIA, N.C. — Gastonia police say they have apprehended a man recently released from prison and who was wanted in a shooting death during a car theft on Thanksgiving.

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The police department said on its Facebook page that 19-year-old Jeremy Austin Smith was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon.

Smith was released from prison in January after serving a year on motor vehicle larceny charges, then spent another eight months in prison for violating parole. Just over two weeks after his release, he was named a suspect in the shooting death of 30-year-old Terrence Shatiq Terrell. Police said Terrell was found in another man's car on Thanksgiving morning, nearly five hours after a shooting was reported.

According to police, officers received a call around 3:30 a.m. stating a silver Honda Civic had left the scene of a shooting on Sunshine Avenue.

Officers said when they arrived at the scene, they found one victim with non-life threatening injuries.

[ [ALSO READ: Woman arrested in connection with Gastonia ex-husband's slaying] ]

After further investigation, officers found a victim who'd died, later identified as Terrell, inside the car involved in the incident on West Seventh Avenue, less than 2 miles away from the original call.

Smith is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon resulting in serious injury, robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by felon.

Anyone who knows the location of the suspect is asked to call Gastonia Police at 704-866-3300 or 704-866-6880.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for more information. 

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