On the night of May 17, 2023, at about 10:15 p.m., officers responded to a reported shooting at the Chapel Tower apartment complex in the 3300 block of Glasson Street off Morreene Road in Durham, North Carolina. They found 30-year-old Shanell Nicole Alston with a gunshot wound; she was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead.

Investigators identified 29-year-old McLandra Dale Roper Jr. as a suspect and announced his arrest on June 7, 2023, charging him with murder; he was held without bond. The investigation determined the shooting was not a random act, indicating some prior connection between Alston and Roper, though authorities did not disclose specifics or a motive. Roper faced additional charges in a separate case and had outstanding warrants from 2022.

Alston’s death was the third homicide in Durham that week and drew community grief and concern. If anyone has information about Shanell Nicole Alston or the events at Chapel Tower on May 17, please contact Durham Police.