Charlotte Woman, 23, Charged With Murder After Decomposed Body Found in Closet

Lhis Brito-Costa, 23, was charged with first-degree murder after Charlotte-Mecklenburg police discovered the decomposing body of 26-year-old Evelin Carolina Enamorado-Cisnado hidden inside a closet at the Peppertree Apartments on Central Avenue, a case that began with one of the more unusual tip-offs in recent Charlotte crime history: a DoorDash driver.

According to court documents, the driver arrived at the apartment at 4343 Central Avenue on the afternoon of March 10, 2026, and was told someone inside was dead. That prompted a call to police, who responded to the 4300 block of Central Avenue at 4:30 p.m. for a welfare check. When officers entered the unit, they found Enamorado-Cisnado's body behind a closet door, covered with several towels. The body had already begun to decompose.

CMPD's press release noted the victim was found dead with injuries but did not describe those injuries. Court documents tell a more specific story. According to those records, Brito-Costa told investigators she had been in a relationship with Enamorado-Cisnado and shot her after learning the victim was involved with someone else. Police identified Enamorado-Cisnado, initially listed as Jane Doe while investigators worked to establish her identity, on Thursday.

Detectives arrested Brito-Costa early Wednesday morning. She is being held in the Mecklenburg County Jail on no bond. Court filings indicate she is not in the United States legally, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on her.

Sai Akula, who lives in the unit directly above the apartment where the body was found, described a heavy police presence after the discovery. "There were a bunch of cops talking to people in this building and that building," Akula said. He noted that a man, a woman, and a dog had been living in the apartment, but he did not recognize the victim. "I was shocked, to be honest," he said. "No, I've never seen this lady in particular."

An autopsy result and official cause of death from the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner had not been publicly released as of this reporting. No information has been confirmed about whether a weapon was recovered. The case remains active, and Brito-Costa's next court appearance had not been publicly scheduled at the time of publication.