19-year-old charged with murder in December double homicide at recording studio
ASHEVILLE - Asheville police charged a 19-year-old man with murder March 6, in connection to a December gunfight and double homicide that began as an armed robbery of a recording studio on Leicester Highway.
Asheville Police Department detectives charged Rontae La-Warren Harper, 19, with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon for his role in the shooting death of Chase Christian Vanleeuwen, a March 7 news release said.
Harper was taken into custody March 6 by APD with the help of the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office. He is currently being held at Buncombe County Detention Facility under no bond issued by the magistrate, the release said.
Officers arrived at a studio at 353 New Leicester Highway in West Asheville late night on Dec. 22, in response to a 911 call reporting a robbery and suspected shooting.
When officers arrived just before 11:25 p.m., they entered the building to find one "subject down" from a gunshot wound to the head, according to officer response notes obtained by the Citizen Times. Officers also found “approximately a dozen” people and seven firearms inside the building.
APD later identified the deceased as Chase Christian VanLeeuwen, of Candler. The 30-year-old was shot at approximately 11 p.m. and died around the same time, according to his death certificate obtained by the Citizen Times.
Another gunshot wound victim showed up at Mission Hospital that night, later identified as Marckia Ornette Jones, 20, of Asheville. Jones was dropped off at the emergency room front door of the hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to her death investigation report.
Emergency surgery and resuscitative measures were attempted, but Jones died in the operating room. Her autopsy reveals that Jones was involved in the attempted robbery at the Asheville business, according to the Buncombe County Medical Examiner.
“During the course of the robbery, the decedent shot another individual and was then shot by another party in the business,” her autopsy said. “She was taken by private vehicle to a local hospital but succumbed to her injuries.”
In February, detectives also charged Tristin Marquese Maewether, of Asheville, with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and robbery with a dangerous weapon for his alleged role in the death of Chase Christian Vanleeuwen, according to a news release from the Asheville Police Department.
"The investigation is active and ongoing," the release said.
If anyone has any information about this homicide or any other illegal activity, information can be shared anonymously by texting TIP2APD to 847411 (Tip411). This service can be used to upload audio, video, and photos. APD can be contacted directly at 828-252-1110.
Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Second man charged with murder in December double homicide at studio
