Teenage homicide suspect dies days after self-inflicted gunshot wound during police confrontation in Asheville

A 17-year-old wanted for the murder of William Wyatt Adair has died in Asheville after shooting himself during a police encounter. Read the full investigation details.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 13, 2026, 9:59 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from the Raleigh News & Observer

A Rapid Escalation in Western North Carolina

The Asheville Police Department has confirmed the death of a 17-year-old male suspect following a violent sequence of events that began in the early hours of March 9. The juvenile had been under investigation for the homicide of William Wyatt Adair, 20, who was found dead earlier that morning. According to official reports, the suspect took his own life as law enforcement officers attempted to bring him into custody near a busy intersection, ending a brief but intensive search.

The Initial Homicide Investigation on Patton Avenue

The incident was initiated at approximately 1:04 a.m. on Monday when officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of Patton Avenue. Upon arrival, emergency responders located Adair suffering from a critical gunshot wound to the chest. Despite immediate efforts to provide lifesaving measures at the scene, Adair was pronounced dead. Investigators quickly established a perimeter and were able to identify a person of interest who had been seen fleeing the immediate area on foot shortly after the shots were fired.

Confrontation and Self-Inflicted Injury

Police located the 17-year-old suspect a short time later walking along New Leicester Highway, west of the original crime scene. As officers approached the juvenile to initiate a tactical stop, the teen brandished a firearm. According to the Asheville Police Department’s news release, the suspect then turned the weapon on himself and fired a single shot to the head before officers could intervene or deploy de-escalation measures.