In a chilling event that unfolded in Charlotte, North Carolina, a man faces serious charges after a brutal attack led to a swift theft. The suspect, 34-year-old Adam Mercado, is accused of fatally stabbing another man and subsequently stealing his belongings, including his car.

According to records from Mecklenburg County, Mercado has been charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. This violent episode occurred last Thursday, shaking the usually busy surroundings of Central Avenue.

The incident transpired around 2 p.m. when a man, later identified as Mercado, arrived at a building on the 1100 block of Central Avenue. He was reportedly driving a brown Hyundai Sonata and was seen wearing a blue shirt and orange gloves, as detailed in a criminal affidavit examined by Law&Crime.

The affidavit describes how Mercado approached the victim, Gerald Barnes, a 68-year-old man. The interaction, captured on video footage, shows Mercado engaging Barnes in conversation before attempting to show him an item from his bookbag. It was during this interaction that Mercado allegedly launched a violent attack when Barnes leaned in to inspect the bag.

This tragic sequence of events highlights the unpredictable nature of violence and theft, leaving the community of Charlotte grappling with shock and concern.

“The male stabs him in the neck and then demands that he surrender his car keys,” the affidavit reads. “The victim surrenders his car keys and the male stabs him several more times as the victim falls to the ground. The male then goes through the victim’s pockets and takes his wallet.”

Mercado allegedly proceeded to hop into Barnes’ Honda Fit and drive the vehicle over to the Sonata in which he arrived. “The male loads items into the Fit and then drives away,” authorities said.

Law enforcement officers arrived at the building where Barnes was stabbed and found him “suffering from multiple stab wounds.”

The victim would be pronounced dead later that night. Detectives began investigating — searching for the Honda fit.

Mercado has also been implicated in other deaths, authorities said.

On Friday, officers were called to do a welfare check on a home on the 2600 block of Nelda Drive in Monroe, just 28 miles southeast of Charlotte.

There, Matthew Moody, 52, and James Wallace, 49, were found dead.

Mercado was later charged with those two murders as well, according to a press release issued by the Monroe Police Department.