A North Carolina man was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of shooting and killing his boyfriend and then driving around with the dead body for hours. Tahj Matthias Ji’Reh Wall, 27, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 40-year-old Melvin Hopper.
The crime took place on May 27, 2021, in Gastonia, North Carolina, and Wall was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Killing and the Aftermath
The tragic incident unfolded during an argument between Wall and Hopper. Wall shot Hopper in the back of the head, but Hopper didn’t die immediately. Wall then shot him again, executing him.
After the murder, Wall placed the victim’s body in the passenger seat of his car and drove around for more than six hours, finally ending his journey in Charlotte, about 40 miles away. During this disturbing drive, Wall showed the body to at least two people, one of whom was a high school friend.
The friend testified during the trial, revealing that Wall admitted to killing Hopper and even showed the body. Wall reportedly did not appear scared, upset, or remorseful when talking about the crime. The witness was deeply disturbed, stating that she felt fear during the encounter and was shocked by Wall’s calm demeanor.
Discovery of the Body and Wall’s Arrest
Eventually, the body was discovered in Charlotte, and Wall was quickly identified as the suspect. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police found Hopper’s body around 12:18 p.m. on Barrands Lane. Wall was arrested shortly thereafter.
Wall’s defense team argued that he had been a victim of domestic violence at the hands of Hopper, claiming that Hopper had regularly abused him and even threatened to shoot him. The defense suggested that Wall feared for his life when he shot Hopper.
However, the jury rejected this defense and convicted Wall based on the evidence presented during the trial, including Wall’s own actions and demeanor following the crime.
In the end, the jury sided with the prosecution’s account of the events, finding Wall guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The case drew attention due to the shocking nature of the crime, as well as Wall’s lack of apparent remorse in the hours after the murder.
