Erick Travell Marquize Holman, 37, died on August 2, 2026, in Charlotte after a violent encounter that began when he stopped to give a ride to a stranger in uptown Charlotte. Friends described Holman as a spoken-word artist, rapper and poet who had been at a spoken word and poetic rap event roughly an hour before the incident.

According to law enforcement and court documents, after Holman picked up 38-year-old Rondreaus Cureton and allowed him into Holman’s Lexus, Cureton allegedly produced a handgun and forced Holman to drive. A struggle over the weapon reportedly led to a discharge that struck Holman in the head; the Lexus then crashed into another vehicle at East 5th Street and North McDowell Street. Holman was taken to a hospital and pronounced deceased. Three other people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

After the crash, Cureton allegedly tried to force an occupant into a stopped Buick, then stole that vehicle and fled. Police located and arrested him about 40 minutes later after a brief pursuit. Cureton has been charged with murder and multiple other felonies and is held without bond. The investigation remains active.

Did anyone who knew Erick or was in that part of uptown Charlotte that night see the Lexus or the Buick before the crash?