The tragic murder of 23-year-old Egypt Zapporah Carter has taken a shocking turn as authorities revealed it was part of a calculated murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by her husband, Lionel Melvin Carter III, who was incarcerated at the time.
On February 2, 2024, Carter was ambushed and fatally shot while sitting in her car in Woodbridge, Virginia.
A small dog in the car was unharmed. Initially a mystery, the case unfolded into a chilling narrative implicating multiple individuals, including Grorethas Gresean McKinnon Jr., 26, Denzel Scott Wade, 30, and Drew Courtney Buchanan, 27.
Investigators determined that Carter was lured to the quiet intersection of Bronson Court and Brickwood Drive under the guise of picking up prescription medication for her husband. There, she was shot and killed.
In December 2024, a grand jury indicted all four men on charges of aggravated murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and use of a firearm in a felony. Buchanan, arrested earlier in October on related charges, now faces additional accusations.
The revelation has left both Woodbridge, Virginia, and Carter’s hometown of Burlington, North Carolina, grappling with the senseless loss.
A local neighbor lamented:
“It’s devastating to see an innocent life taken like this. Women especially have to be vigilant in today’s world.”
The case continues to unfold as authorities urge anyone with additional information to come forward. Meanwhile, the community mourns a young woman whose life was cut tragically short.
