Mark Elliott

Do you know who killed 33 year old Mark Elliott in 2002?
To his family, he was affectionately known as “Junior Boy.” To his friends and many soccer fans, he was simply “Slippery.” By all accounts, Mark Elliott was a good man, remembered for the laughs he shared and the lasting place he held in the hearts of those who knew him. A resident of Belmont Avenue in Charlotte, North Carolina, Mark was 33 years old in the winter of 2002, a life full of promise that was just a few days shy of Christmas.

The evening of Friday, December 20, 2002, found Mark Elliott working his shift as a clerk at the Smallwood Grocery, a neighborhood store located at 2701 W. Trade Street in the Biddleville-Smallwood community of west Charlotte. At approximately 8:08 p.m., the routine of the evening was shattered by violence. A robbery was initiated at the grocery store, and during the commission of the crime, Mark was shot. When officers from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to the scene, they found him suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel pronounced Mark Elliott, an African-American male born on March 31, 1969, dead at the scene.

The initial homicide investigation was launched immediately by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, but the perpetrator had vanished. Detectives canvassed the area and interviewed potential witnesses, but the case yielded no immediate arrests. The sudden and violent death of a man simply doing his job sent a shockwave of grief through his family and community. They were left with questions that had no answers and a profound sense of loss during a season typically associated with joy and family gatherings.

Two weeks after his death, on Saturday, January 4, 2003, family and friends gathered at the Victory Christian Center to celebrate Mark's life and mourn his passing. The service was a testament to the man he was, filled with memories of "Junior Boy" and "Slippery," a young man who was loved and would be deeply missed. Following the funeral, he was laid to rest in Gethsemane Gardens Cemetery. While his loved ones had a place to visit his earthly remains, the justice they sought for his murder remained elusive.

As years turned into decades, Mark Elliott's case grew cold. With no new leads or suspects identified, the investigation was eventually transferred to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Homicide Cold-Case Unit. Detectives in this specialized unit are tasked with re-examining evidence from unsolved homicides, hoping that advances in forensic technology or a witness finally coming forward might provide the breakthrough needed to close a long-dormant case. His file, CMPD #20021220200001, remains open, a quiet but persistent reminder of a life cut short and a killer who has never been held accountable.

The case of Mark Elliott's murder is still unsolved. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and Crime Stoppers continue to ask for the public's help. A reward of up to $5,000 is available for any information that leads to an arrest in this investigation. Detectives believe that someone, somewhere has knowledge that could be the key to solving this crime and bringing a measure of peace to Mark's family. Anyone with information is urged to contact the CMPD Homicide Cold-Case unit directly at 704-336-2358 or to leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.