CHARLOTTE — The family of AJ Zellars Jr. said they feel relief after a judge ruled on Tuesday that his accused killer will remain behind bars without bond. Prosecutors said AJ Zellars Jr., a parking enforcement worker, was shot multiple times in the head last year while putting a boot on a car in northeast Charlotte.
Channel 9’s Hunter Sáenz spoke with the victim’s family outside the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.
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“AJ was kind, loving,” said Nick Geller, the victim’s coworker.
“He didn’t judge anybody,” said Tina Zellars, the victim’s mother. “AJ had the love, a genuine love.”
Those who loved AJ Zellars Jr. showed up in force at the courthouse.
“The fact that we have to come here is hard, but we wanted the judge to see that AJ had love,” Tina Zellars said.
Tina Zellars and AJ Zellars Jr.’s father, Anthony Zellars Sr., led the group into the courtroom where Judge William Bell told the accused killer, Marquell Pettiford, he will stay behind bars on no bond.
“To put someone like that back in the community would be irresponsible in my opinion,” said Anthony Zellars Sr.
“That was justice for him and not just justice for AJ, but justice for the citizens of Mecklenburg County and all North Carolinians,” said Tabatha Rucker, the victim’s cousin.
Pettiford shot AJ Zellars Jr. three times in the head, execution style, as he put a boot on the wheel of Pettiford’s car, prosecutors said.
The shooting happened last year just before Thanksgiving at an apartment complex on West Arrowhead Drive in northeast Charlotte.
The homicide happened while Pettiford was on probation after being convicted of a 2022 shooting, prosecutors said.
Pettiford had into a grandmother’s apartment in broad daylight while she and her grandchild were inside.
The Zellars family is thankful he won’t be getting out.
“To be taken that way, it’s just wrong and someone needs to be held accountable for that,” Tina Zellars said.
Pettiford told the judge that he could be trusted to follow any rules the judge put in place if he was given a bond.
The judge was swift saying, “It’s hard to believe that I would have your full cooperation when you weren’t even supposed to have a gun on you that day. Same bond.”
VIDEO: Parking enforcement worker gunned down at apartment complex
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