Erica Fay Welch was a 32-year-old mother of five from Gastonia, North Carolina. Described by her sister as a strong, outspoken, and honest woman, Erica was a fighter who looked out for others. Her protective nature was on display the last night of her life when she refused to abandon a friend she felt was in danger, telling her sister, "He'll kill me, but I'm not going to leave him."
On the evening of March 5, 2024, Erica was at the South Gastonia mobile home of her boyfriend, 51-year-old David William Pace, a longtime acquaintance of her family. Pace’s son, who uses a wheelchair, and his son's wife were also there. As the night wore on, Erica grew worried for the son's safety. She sent cryptic messages and made a phone call to her sister, pretending a family member had died in a desperate attempt to get Pace to let her go. A neighbor later heard her screaming for help.
Around 3 a.m. on March 6, police responded to a neighbor's call about a disturbance on Chrisco Lane.
When officers arrived, the four people inside the home told them everything was fine, and the officers left. A neighbor later said Pace had coerced them into giving that response. A second 911 call brought police back to the residence a short time later. As they approached, they heard several gunshots. Pace had fired multiple times, with one bullet killing Erica Welch and two others fired in the direction of the officers who were taking cover outside.
The situation evolved into a hostage crisis. The Gaston County Police Emergency Response Team was called in and successfully rescued the two other people being held inside the home. When officers made entry, they found Erica deceased from her gunshot wounds. Pace was taken into custody and was hospitalized for nearly 24 hours. He was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, possession of a firearm by a felon, and assault by pointing a gun. The district attorney’s office stated it was considering additional charges for firing at officers and that the case could become a capital one.
Pace’s initial court appearance was postponed after a judge found him incoherent and unresponsive. At a hearing the following day, prosecutors alleged that Pace had told the victims "no one was going to leave" and that "significant drug use was evident throughout that evening." While awaiting trial in the Gaston County Jail, Pace incurred several new charges, including burglary, breaking and entering, and felony interference with the jail fire system. Due to the new charges and a change in his legal counsel, a court date was postponed. As of November 2024, the case against David Pace remained pending, with his next court appearance scheduled for February 2025.
