A man from Hendersonville faces first-degree murder charges following a deadly stabbing incident near downtown
Hendersonville: A man was arrested for murder after a stabbing incident in downtown Hendersonville. The police say it was a serious situation.
On December 23, officers were called to the scene around 8:43 p.m. They found a man, Kevin Deran Copelin, 50, with severe knife injuries. Sadly, he later died at the hospital.
Police quickly got to work, identifying a suspect and issuing a warrant. They even looked into the victim’s phone records to gather more evidence.
It turns out the area where the stabbing happened is known for drug activity. The police found that Copelin had been stabbed multiple times by someone they still needed to identify.
After he passed away, they discovered his unlocked phone. They thought there might be important messages on it, so they got a warrant to check the records.
Video evidence suggested that the attacker might have targeted Copelin on purpose. There could have been some prior communication between them.
Willie Lee Brown III, 34, was charged with first-degree murder on January 10. He was arrested two days later in Asheville and is currently in jail without bond.
Brown III has a public defender and is set for a hearing on February 4. The police are asking anyone with information about the case to come forward.
If you know anything, you can reach out to Detective Torbett at 828-697-3025 or submit anonymous tips through the Hendersonville Police Department App.
