Yesterday afternoon, a medical examiner with Mecklenburg County confirmed that a body discovered on Friday behind East Stonewall AME Zion Church in North Charlotte Friday is 19-year-old Ashanti Billie.
Virginia’s FBI division had been searching desperately for Ashanti since she was first reported missing on September 18th (they even offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who might have information about her wherabouts).
“It is with deep regret that I inform the community that Ashanti Billie has been located, deceased, in Charlotte, North Carolina,” commented Martin Culbreth, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Norfolk division. “I, along with the entire investigative team, offer our most sincere condolences to the Billie family, especially Ashanti’s parents Brandy and Tony. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”
Ashanti’s family held a press conference yesterday soon after they heard the news:
Local and federal authorities in both Charlotte and Virginia are now vowing to continue the investigation until justice is served.
“Our community should know that our work does not end here. Now our mission is to bring justice for Ashanti, and we will be relentless in our efforts to find who did this to her,” commented Culbreth. “We will not rest until the person who robbed Ashanti of her life, her promise and her future is held fully accountable under the law.”
If you have any information about what happened to Ashanti, please call the Virignia’s FBI division at (757) 455-0100.