Three juveniles, Iredell woman charged in connection to March shooting

Published 12:00 am Thursday, May 2, 2024

IREDELL COUNTY — Additional charges have been filed in a March homicide case in Iredell County near Mooresville.

Three juveniles have been placed in secure custody and a 40-year-old woman, identified as Ashlee Louise Klepfer, has been arrested and charged by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, according to a release from the agency.

The homicide occurred at 109 Home Drive near Mooresville on March 9. Deputies were called to the home in reference to reports of shots fired and found two victims deceased and another injured, all from gunshot wounds. The victims killed by the gunfire have been identified by the sheriff’s office as 22-year-old Eduardo Cordova of Mooresville and 24-year-old Caleb Loper of Lincolnton.

Detectives obtained information during the investigation that led them to a home located at 1580 Ostwalt Amity Road, Cleveland. Although the home has a Cleveland address, it is just outside of Rowan County, inside Iredell County. There a standoff ensued when 39-year-old Justin Michael Strawser refused to come out of the home and deputies perceived that he was armed with a rifle and wearing body armor, according to the release. Strawser allegedly fired on the deputies multiple times during the standoff before deputies introduced non-lethal gas into the home.

After the gas was introduced, four juveniles came out of the home and were secured by deputies, according to the release. Strawser then allegedly came out of the home shooting his rifle at the deputies, who reportedly returned fire and killed him.

After the shooting, detectives continued the investigation, which led them to charge Klepfer and seek petitions for the three juveniles. According to the release, two of the juveniles accompanied Strawser to the home, where they were involved in the shootings of Loper and Cordova. The other juvenile that has been placed in custody allegedly fired at the deputies during the standoff.

Klepfer has been charged with felony accessory after the face, five counts of misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of the minor, four counts of failure to secure firearms from a minor, felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of methamphetamine with intel to sell or deliver, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor possession of a schedule II controlled substance. Klepfer was placed in the Iredell County Detention Center and given a $1,050,000 bond by Magistrate R. Imes, according to the release.

A 17-year-old juvenile male is being held in secure custody under charges of two counts of felony first-degree murder, felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, three counts of felony armed robbery and felony conspiracy to commit murder.

A 15-year-old juvenile male is being held in secure custody under charges of two counts of felony first-degree murder, felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, three counts of felony armed robbery and felony conspiracy to commit murder.

Another 15-year-old juvenile male is being held in secure custody under charges of felony assault with a deadly weapon on law enforcement, felony possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon.

All juveniles in secure custody are held without bond according to state law.