The victim was murdered on Memorial Day weekend
Malcom Smith, 30, murdered Deeaudrey Copeland, 46, in Charlotte, NC. Deeaudrey was a tall security guard at various fish table sweepstakes parlors and clubs. He pled guilty in August 2026.
Deeaudrey was murdered on Memorial Day weekend May 24, 2025. He was at a gas station in a vehicle on West Sugar Creek when Malcom shot him dead. Malcom drove away to North Graham Street where he crashed out and died.
Malcom was arrested on May 29, 2025 charged with homicide.
In August 2026 Malcolm pled guilty to second degree murder, three counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle in operation, and, three counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle.
For the second degree murder and discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle in operation charges, Judge Osman sentenced him to 157-201 months in prison. For the remaining charges, he received a consecutive sentence of 25-42 months in prison; that sentence was suspended pending his successful completion of 36 months of supervised probation.
