Full Notification

Following an extensive and exhaustive five-year investigation the Forest City Police Department would like to announce the arrest of the suspected offender for a double homicide that occurred on May 19, 2017.
On Monday, February 28, 2022, investigators with the Forest City Police Department were able to secure arrest warrants for Jose Angleo Gonzalez, 51 years of age, from Sunrise, Florida for two counts of murder. This arrest stems from a double homicide investigation that began on May 19, 2017, when the crime was discovered at a home located on Arlington Street in Forest City.
The investigation began when a concerned citizen located two children on Arlington Street and notified the Forest City Police Department. Upon this notification the investigation began and responding officers were able to locate the crime scene at 306 Arlington Street. Upon this discovery one victim, Akir Hooper, was found in the home deceased. A second victim, Stephanie Walker, was also found with life-threatening injuries. She was transported to the hospital for her injuries but died of her injuries a short time later.
Through the investigation family, friends, neighbors, and associates of the victims were interviewed. Numerous other investigative leads, some of which were from crime scene evidence and others were information provided by the public, were completed and as a result Mr. Gonzalez was developed as the suspected offender. With the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Sunrise, Florida Police Department, Mr. Gonzalez was further investigated as the suspect.
On February 8, 2022, Forest City detectives traveled to two different states and with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sunrise Police Department conducted additional follow-up interviews and gathered additional information. Because of these efforts an arrest warrant was secured for the arrest of Mr. Gonzalez for the two murders.
Mr. Gonzalez was taken into custody during the afternoon of Tuesday, March 1, 2022, and is currently in the custody of the Broward County Sheriff's Office in Florida. He is being held without bond and is awaiting extradition to North Carolina.
The Forest City Police Department would like to thank all the partnering agencies in this investigation to include the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Sunrise (Florida) Police Department.
The investigation is still ongoing and as with any open investigation the public is encouraged to contact the Forest City Police Department with any information that could be relevant to resolving this or any other reported investigations. Information can be provided either by calling the police department at 828-245-5555, electronically by email at [email protected], or by calling Rutherford County Crime Stoppers at 828-286-TIPS (828-286-8477)