Investigation Discovery program to revisit Asheville teen's 2020 homicide, fugitive

Ryan Oehrli, Asheville Citizen Times
·2 min read

ASHEVILLE - The "Investigation Discovery" program "In Pursuit with John Walsh" is premiering an episode on Dionate Whitson, the long-sought suspect in a 2020 homicide of an Asheville teenager.

Asheville police, the U.S. Marshals Service and the victim's mother all told the Citizen Times in April that they still believed Whitson was responsible for the shooting death of Teylyn McAlpin in 2020. All three have been desperate to find Whitson, with the Marshals offering rewards for information leading to his arrest.

The Citizen Times previously reported that police responded to calls of shots fired at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 28, 2020 near the Montford baseball field. Officers found McAlpin suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and provided aid until paramedics arrived, a police spokesperson said at the time.

McAlpin was 17 years old. Whitson was 18.

Laquanda Duncan holds a picture of her brother, Teylyn Mcalpin, as a young boy. Duncan and others gathered Nov. 30 in Montford near where Mcalpin was shot to death. He was 17.
Laquanda Duncan holds a picture of her brother, Teylyn Mcalpin, as a young boy. Duncan and others gathered Nov. 30 in Montford near where Mcalpin was shot to death. He was 17.

Search for Dionate Whitson:Over a year after shooting death of Asheville teen, US Marshals, police search for suspect

McAlpin's mother, Javelin Duncan, told the Citizen Times in April that her son and Whitson were close friends, even "like family." At the time, both the Marshals and Asheville police believed Whitson to be bouncing across cities. The Marshals believed he might be receiving protection from a gang.

The program, titled “A Broken Bond,” will air at 9 p.m. Oct. 5 on "Investigation Discovery." It will stream the same day on discovery+.

"We are encouraging any viewers with any information on Whitson's whereabouts to text or call our call center at 1-833-3-PURSUE or to submit online at our dedicated hub at InPursuitTips.com," a news release from the show says. "These resources are both staffed by trained and Spanish-speaking operators who will accept anonymous tips and alert the proper authorities."

Homicide investigation:Search warrants: Accused Arden killer, victim communicated minutes before murder

Ryan Oehrli is the breaking news and social justice reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Send tips to coehrli@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Investigation Discovery to revisit 2020 Asheville teen homicide