HARRISBURG, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A grieving brother shared his story of his brave sister trying to leave a relationship only to be tragically killed by her boyfriend Monday night.
The shooting, which led to a firefight with deputies in a Harrisburg neighborhood, has left a family torn apart.
Chartara Courtney moved to North Carolina about a year and a half ago for a new job and a chance to restart her life, but someone from her past followed her to the Charlotte area.
“She was what you would call a super-mom,” said Darrius Courtney, Chartara’s brother.
Chartara, known to her family as “Vetra,” came to the Charlotte area from Augusta, Georgia, because she got a promotion at work.
“She was very excited about it, in a bigger city and just new beginnings,” said Courtney. “She was excited for her and her kids.”
Courtney says his sister, a manager at Waffle House raising four kids, didn’t seem too excited about her boyfriend of several years, Willie Wimbley, making the move with her to North Carolina.
“Their relationship was rocky, I saw early signs in the beginning,” said Courtney.
He says he only knows of one time early on in Georgia that Wimbley was physically abusive to his sister.
“After that, he knew that I was upset about it he came and sat me down and looked me in my face and told me how much he loved my sister and he would never do nothing to hurt her,” said Courtney.
But most recently, Courtney says his sister was trying to get away from Wimbley.
“She was trying to get away from him for sure,” said Courtney.
He says his sister was planning to move into a home in Harrisburg.
“I called my sister’s phone and she didn’t answer, I knew something was wrong,” said Courtney.
Chartara called 911 Monday night, giving her address, saying she and Wimbley got into a dispute, but they could talk it out.
When deputies got to the house, they say they watched Wimbley shoot and kill Chartara in the driveway.
“Our mother’s a praying woman, she taught us well, she raised us well and she didn’t deserve this,” said Courtney.
Deputies say Wimbley hid behind a car and started firing at them. They shot back and believe he killed himself.
“It hurts knowing that she was isolated from her family, and we couldn’t get to her fast enough,” said Courtney.
He wants people to know his sister was one of a kind, a devoted daughter and a loving mother, trying to give her kids a better life.
“I want her to be honored, I want her to be mentioned with dignity and respect,” said Courtney.
He says the family is working to make funeral arrangements for his sister in Augusta.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office says in August 2024, they had a domestic violent report and were called by Chartara to a home in Indian Trail.
Deputies say there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute Wimbley at the time, but they referred Chartara to a magistrate to pursue charges. A month later, deputies say they checked back in with her, but she had decided not to file charges against Wimbley.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
