A missing 17-year-old North Carolina girl was found dead on Friday in Northampton County and a suspect was arrested for her death, according to the Roanoke Rapids Police Department.
On Wednesday, police said Quameisha Dashay Branch was last seen around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in the downtown area of Roanoke Rapids.
At 3:06 p.m. on Friday, police acted on a tip in reference to the missing person case and searched in the area east of Garysburg along Old Highway in Northampton County.
Police found Branch dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Officers said they contacted the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office and the Garysburg Police Department to assist with the death investigation.
Based on the investigation, Roanoke Rapids police issued a murder arrest warrant for 27-year-old Marquette Douglas. Douglas turned himself into the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Friday evening.
He received no bond and will appear in court on Monday.
Roanoke Rapids police Chief Bobby Martin described Douglas as the reputed boyfriend of Branch’s mother.
Martin declined to comment on the circumstances which led to the girl’s death but did say, “I feel like this death was needless. I feel like it could have been avoided.”
Martin said while investigators are awaiting a medical examiner’s report to establish a time of death, investigators are leaning to the possibility Branch was killed on the date the missing person report was filed.
Branch was last seen in the downtown area of Roanoke Rapids Tuesday around 8:30 p.m.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the deceased victim,” said the Roanoke Rapids Police Department in a news release.
If anyone has any information about this case, please contact the Roanoke Rapids Police Department at 252-533-2810 or the Halifax County Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.
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