Rudolph Cephus Acolatse, 48, was shot and killed on Odum Avenue in northwest Charlotte on the night of February 4, 2024. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded after 11:30 p.m., found Acolatse with a gunshot wound, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Acolatse, originally from Liberia, was the owner of Tropix, a popular bar and lounge on North Tryon Street, and was described as a father of two who was active in the community. People at the scene pointed officers to 45-year-old Ronald Joseph, who was taken into custody without incident. After an interview with homicide detectives, Joseph was charged with first-degree murder and transferred to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation into what led to the shooting is ongoing.

If anyone has information about the shooting or Acolatse’s last hours, please contact CMPD’s Homicide Unit or Crime Stoppers.