Stephanie Hatton, 25, of Kernersville, North Carolina, was found dead of a gunshot wound on July 18, 2021, in the Elkin community of Wilkes County. The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting early that Sunday morning and discovered Hatton’s body.

Authorities identified 36-year-old Donald Ray Lassiter of Elkin as the suspect and later arrested him in the Ronda community; he was charged with murder in connection with Hatton’s death. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the ongoing investigation. Officials have not disclosed a possible motive or whether Hatton and Lassiter knew each other. People who knew Hatton described her as a kind soul who did not deserve such a tragic fate.

If anyone has information about Hatton, her movements in Elkin on July 18, 2021, or knew her connections in the area, please share what you know.