Arden shooting: Third suspect faces murder charges

A third individual connected to the fatal shooting of two men at a Buncombe County apartment complex was taken into custody on Monday, Nov. 2. The arrest concludes the initial wave of detentions in a case that began with a midnight report of gunshots on Oct. 24.

The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office identified the new suspect as 22-year-old Maurice Montrell Harris Jr. He has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. These are the same counts filed against the two men previously arrested in connection with the deaths of Joshua Sanchez Ramirez, 19, and Darion Armon Smith, 27.

Deputies discovered the victims dead from gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Pine Needle Apartments shortly after midnight on Saturday, Oct. 24. Court documents indicate the suspects allegedly attempted to steal drugs and cash from one of the victims while threatening him with a handgun.

The first of the three suspects, 28-year-old Tyquan Jahlil Ward, was detained on Oct. 29 and is currently held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility. He is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 12. The second suspect, 18-year-old Keith Harold Mooney Jr., was taken into custody in Atlanta, Georgia, on Oct. 30.

All three suspects face the same set of charges. The sheriff's office confirmed that the investigation into the double homicide remains ongoing.