Two Charged in Deadly Alexander County Shooting

Two men have been charged following a deadly shooting in Alexander County that left a 20-year-old man dead late Tuesday night.

Authorities say 21-year-old Jeremiah Hernandez Freeland of Statesville has been charged with murder, while 19-year-old Jacob Brooks Perkins, who is listed as homeless, has been charged as an accessory after the fact to murder.

According to deputies with the Alexander County Sheriff's Office, the shooting happened around 11 p.m. on April 21 at a home on Fairmont Court in the Stony Point community. Dispatchers first received a 911 call reporting a disturbance, but the caller hung up. A short time later, a neighbor called to report hearing shouting followed by several gunshots.

When deputies arrived, they found the victim outside the home. Emergency crews attempted life-saving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators identified him as Landon Makhi Alexander Barker, 20, of Taylorsville.

Investigators said the suspects left the scene in a white Nissan Altima. The vehicle was later stopped by law enforcement in Statesville in neighboring Iredell County, where both men were taken into custody.

Freeland and Perkins are being held without bond in the Alexander County Detention Center. Both are scheduled to appear in court on April 27. Authorities say the investigation remains active, and additional details could be released as the case develops.