Ellis Bradham, a 27-year-old African American man, was found dead on December 23, 2016, in northwest Charlotte, North Carolina. His body was discovered in the woods of Shuffletown Park in the 9500 block of Bellhaven Boulevard after his sister, Kenya Smith, reported him missing on December 19, 2016. Smith said Bradham had left a friend’s apartment the day before and was not seen or heard from until officers located his body with an apparent gunshot wound.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit opened the inquiry and the Homicide Unit later joined the investigation. Detectives identified and arrested 28-year-old Carico R. Hayward, who was known to Bradham; Hayward was taken into custody initially on an unrelated warrant and later charged in connection with Bradham’s death. Reports say Hayward and Bradham knew each other, but a clear motive has not been provided.

Anyone with information about Bradham’s movements in mid-December 2016 or his contacts at that time is asked to come forward.