Durham twins arrested in former ECU basketball player's murder

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Friday, April 15, 2016
Twins charged in Durham murder
Twin brothers Ari and Jordan Shlasinger are charged with the murder of Christopher Turner

DURHAM (WTVD) -- Durham police have charged twins with the murder of a former college athlete after he was found shot Thursday morning.

Around 3:30 a.m., officers were called about a shooting in the 400 block of East Piedmont Avenue.

Durham police investigating a homicide in the 400 block of East Piedmont Avenue.

When they arrived, they found 27-year-old Christopher Alexander Turner, of Durham, lying in a yard and suffering from a gunshot wound. Turner, a former guard for East Carolina University's men's basketball team, was taken to the hospital where he died a short time later.

Police have charged Ari Shlasinger and Jordan Shlasinger, both 26, with Turner's murder. They were taken into custody Thursday evening.

Both twins were placed in the Durham County Jail without a bond.

Ari Shlasinger (left) Jordan Shlasinger (right)
Credit: Durham Police Department

ABC11 spoke with Turner's mom, who is asking the community to help her find the suspects involved in her son's murder.

"The last thing he said to me was, 'Mom, I love you.' And I said, 'I love you, too," Shonda Hughes recalled.

Hughes said she shared that moment with her son on Wednesday. She said Turner had dreams of joining the NBA, but after two seasons at ECU, he quit.

Hughes said Turner started hanging around with the wrong crowd. He got into trouble, and served prison time for felony theft convictions.

"I raised him better than that," Hughes said.

In just two days, Durham police have investigated a number of shootings. They have not determined if the shootings are connected. Since January, there have been 56 shootings in Durham, compared to 51 shootings in 2015 during the same time period.

Hughes had only one thing to say to the person or people responsible for her son's death.

"Chris was my only child. I will never have another child," she lamented.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator S. Pate at (919) 560-4440, ext. 29341 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200.