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25-Year Cold Case Solved: Murder Arrest Made
11 Sep
Summary
- Man arrested 25 years after fatal 2001 shooting.
- Fingerprints linked suspect to crime scene and van.
- Victim was shot during an apartment robbery attempt.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, a significant breakthrough has occurred in a 2001 homicide case. Alan Marquis Phifer, now 43, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.
The charges stem from an incident on March 24, 2001, when two men entered an apartment intending to rob its occupants. During the robbery, 21-year-old Cesar Gudino Gonzalez was fatally shot after attempting to fight off an assailant.
Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Cold Case Unit revisited the case in early 2026. A critical lab report received on February 9, 2026, provided crucial evidence.
This report allegedly linked Phifer to the crime scene and a van used by the suspects. Four fingerprints attributed to Phifer were reportedly found at the apartment entrance and inside the recovered van, which had been stolen the previous day. This new evidence led to arrest warrants being issued.
Following the issuance of arrest warrants, the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team located and arrested Phifer on August 31, 2026. He is currently being held without bond in the Mecklenburg County jail. The case had gone cold after the initial investigation failed to identify Gudino Gonzalez's killer.
