Man wanted in North Carolina murder arrested in Santa Clarita

A man wanted on suspicion of murder in North Carolina was arrested in Santa Clarita on Thursday after he attempted to check into a hotel, flagging authorities to his location.

Around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, local deputies and members of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Fugitive Unit were alerted to a possible wanted suspect attempting to get a room on the 27000 block of Wayne Mills Place, Sgt. Brian Shreves of the SCV Sheriff’s Station said.

“This guy was a fugitive from the other side of the country,” said Shreves, adding that he was wanted on a murder warrant out of North Carolina. “Investigators got a tip that he was checking into a hotel … (and) he was ultimately arrested outside the hotel.”

Ellis, according to a statement from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, is being investigated for the murder of Catrell Hollaway, 31, on Jan. 31 on Windy Valley Drive in Charlotte.

“Shortly after 10:40 a.m. (that) morning, officers were flagged down near Windy Valley Drive and located an adult male with an apparent gunshot wound,” read the statement from the CMPD, adding that the body of Hollaway was found by the community member in the woods beside the road.

“He was pronounced deceased on scene,” officials said in a statement at the time of the killing.

In a following statement nearly six months after the shooting and posted on their social media on Friday, the CMPD thanked the FBI and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for their help in apprehending Ellis.

He was booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at 6:40 p.m. and held without bail.

“Ellis will be extradited to North Carolina at a later date and charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon,” read the statement from the CMPD.