Neighbors shocked after deadly stabbing in quiet southeast Charlotte townhome complex

CHARLOTTE — A person died after being stabbed at a southeast Charlotte townhome complex on Tuesday afternoon.

Major Gene Lim of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed that officers were dispatched to the area specifically for a domestic disturbance.

“We just got a domestic violence call for this block,” Lim said. While officers attempted to provide aid to the victim, they found a person of interest already at the scene.

Officers identified the victim in this case as 75-year-old Savo Sinanovic. A further investigation revealed the suspect in this case to be 51-year-old Drazan Sinanovic. He has been charged with first-degree murder.

Neighbors in the quiet townhome complex reported a heavy police presence throughout the afternoon.

Ashley Ives, a resident of the community, said she noticed the emergency response from her home. “I heard the sirens, and I just looked out the window and saw them all pulled up there,” Ives said.

Ives stated that she watched as the man was taken into custody by the responding officers. “And then a little bit later I saw them put him in handcuffs and carry him off,” Ives said.

Claudia Burgos lives a few doors down from the unit where the stabbing occurred and returned home while the investigation was active.

“I just came back from grabbing some errands, and I saw all of this,” Burgos said. She noted that five people lived in the residence, which she described as a “father, mother, and three adult sons.”

Both Burgos and Ives described the residents of the home as being very private people who rarely interacted with others in the complex. “They don’t talk to anybody, barely they say hey,” Burgos said.

Ives added that her only familiarity with the man detained was seeing him perform routine tasks. “The only thing that I ever knew about him was that I would always see him out here checking the mail,” Ives said. Burgos similarly described the man as “not real sociable or anything like that.”

Lim encouraged anyone facing a domestic violence crisis to reach out for assistance. “We have not only police resources, but we have social resources with our city, and please utilize them,” Lim said.

Individuals in the greater Charlotte area can contact the Safe Alliance Hope Line 24 hours a day for support.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

©2026 Cox Media Group