CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte man pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder in the shooting death of his pregnant girlfriend last November, drawing emotional reactions from family members and highlighting ongoing concerns about domestic violence in North Carolina.

Dasean Maddox was sentenced to 31 years in prison for killing Jameisha Wilkes and her unborn child . Wilkes was found shot to death in November 2023.

"Jamiesha was loved, she was caring, she was a great mother, she was my baby, and she didn't deserve this," Deidra Howard, Wilkes' mother, said following the court hearing.

Howard called Thursday's guilty plea "the first step toward healing," but questioned what justice means when a 7-year-old child has lost their mother.

The case has resonated with domestic violence survi

See Full Page