South Raleigh News

Attorney General Jeff Jackson has announced the conviction of Menelik Tefari Nesanet, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the death of Brittney Gamez-Farjat in 2022. Nesanet is set to serve a prison sentence ranging from 13 years to 16 years and 9 months.

The case was referred by Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams to the Department of Justice’s Special Prosecutions Section. The prosecution was handled by Special Deputy Attorneys General Arneatha James and Bob Brackett.

“Thanks to the hard work of the Asheville Police Department and prosecutors from our office, a dangerous criminal is going to spend more than a decade in prison for murder,” stated Attorney General Jeff Jackson. He emphasized his office's commitment to prosecuting violent criminals and maintaining community safety, expressing gratitude towards District Attorney Todd Williams for his collaboration on this case.

District Attorney Todd Williams remarked, “The Buncombe DA’s Office thanks the special prosecutions division of the NCAGO and appreciates the ongoing collaborative effort to hold violent offenders and drug traffickers accountable in NC courts.”

The incident occurred in July 2022 when Nesanet engaged in a verbal altercation with Donald Harrison on French Broad Avenue in Asheville. During this confrontation, Nesanet discharged a firearm, injuring Harrison and fatally wounding Gamez-Farjat, who succumbed to her injuries later that day at the hospital. Nesanet was apprehended by Asheville Police officers three days later in Charlotte.