CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The man police say randomly attacked a woman in Charlotte, murdered another and also killed a man in Greensboro earlier this month was under the supervision of North Carolina Community Corrections at the time. However, records show the state lost track of him just days after his release from prison.
WCNC Charlotte's analysis of North Carolina Department of Public Safety data revealed Malek Moore was one of more than 11,000 convicts out on probation and parole who have avoided their court-ordered oversight as of early September. Those people are effectively off the grid and records show most have remained missing well past their supervision period.
"The state needs to be held accountable," Mothers of Murdered Offspring Coordinator Mark Raley said when WCNC Charlotte informed him of the number of absconders. "Not only the blood of the victim is on the person who did it, the suspect, it's on the state as well."
Moore is accused of a broad daylight attack on the Little Sugar Creek Greenway near Cordelia Park on Sept. 5, the random murder of 29-year-old Hurricane Ida evacuee Gabryelle Allnütt on Sept. 6, and the murder of 21-year-old Christian Mbimba in Greensboro on Sept. 3. State records show Moore was released on parole on Aug. 20 after serving several years for breaking and entering. NCDPS confirmed the man was listed as an absconder just five days later.
"The NC Post Release Supervision and Parole Commission issued a warrant for Moore on that date," Community Corrections spokesperson Greg Thomas said.
WCNC Charlotte identified another absconder charged in connection to multiple murders. Records show almost exactly a year before reportedly leading police on a nationwide manhunt following murders in multiple cities, community corrections lost track of Tyler Terry.
At the time, Terry was on probation for a weapons charge and assault.
Among the more than 11,000 others listed as absconders, state records identify more than 500 on probation or parole for assaulting women and a small group convicted of child abuse, kidnapping, rape and even murder.
"Get off your butt and get to work and find out where these people are," Raley said. "They're putting people's lives in jeopardy."
Raley's cousin was murdered last year. That case, which remains unsolved, compelled him to speak up on behalf of victims.
"The victims don't have no voice anymore," he said. "Who's going to cry for them?"
When WCNC Charlotte first uncovered the absconder problem in 2018, Community Corrections Director Tracy Lee said the numbers were too high.
"As the director of this agency, how does it make you feel knowing that there are thousands you don't have a clue where they are?" WCNC Charlotte asked Lee at the time.
"It doesn't make me feel good," he replied. "We're doing everything we can to reach the individuals who will allow us to reach them."
In 2018, the state listed more than 13,000 absconders.
"The number is high, higher than I would like and it is something that we are focused on and we have been focusing on for a while, but we're dealing with human behavior," Lee said in 2018. "There's only so much can control."
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Citing safety and security issues, Lee's agency wouldn't disclose the tactics and resources it uses to locate absconders but reiterated the state's commitment to finding these people.
Community Corrections spokesperson Greg Thomas released this statement:
"Community Corrections makes every effort, with the tools and resources available, to locate individuals who have absconded from probation, parole or post-release supervision.
When courts impose probation, parole or post-release supervision upon an offender, that individual agrees to a set of conditions, including regular contact with their probation/parole officer. Probation/parole officers work tirelessly to encourage offenders to follow their court-ordered supervision agreements providing them guidance and tools they can use to aid in successfully following the order of the court.
Regretfully, some individuals willfully avoid supervision failing to uphold their part of the agreement."
Contact Nate Morabito at nmorabito@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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