North Carolina Man Accused Of Murdering Estranged Girlfriend, Driving Her Body To Police Station

A North Carolina man is accused of killing a woman, driving her body to the police station and telling cops that “a dead person was in his car,” authorities said.

Wake Forest police arrested Terrance J'Von Hartsfield, 33, on Sept. 7 and charged him with murdering 54-year-old Jacquelin Beckwith, whose body was found inside a vehicle at the Youngstown Police Department, WTVD reported.

Earlier in the day, around noon, officers in Wake Forest responded to reports of a shooting at a gas station but were unable to locate a victim. Investigators believe the incident is linked to Beckwith’s death, according to WRAL.

Before Beckwith’s slaying, Hartsfield allegedly assaulted her multiple times, state court documents obtained by WTVD.

In May, he burned Beckwith’s face with a lit cigarette, and the following month, he repeatedly punched her in the eye and face, according to the documents.

Hartsfield was out on bond at the time of the slaying and ordered to stay away from Beckwith.

“To be honest with you, it has been a real shock,” the victim’s nephew, Maurice Beckwith, told WTVD of the murder. “It feels numb and I can't believe she's gone. She had a restraining order against him, why did he go there and kill her? Why?”

Hartsfield, who also faces a weapons possession charge, was being held without bond and could face the death penalty if convicted of Beckwith’s murder.

Beckwith's godson, Michael Crudup, noted the victim was a fun-loving and strong woman. “She was an uplifting woman, everybody loved her,” he said.