Off-duty deputy a suspect in ‘tragic’ domestic violence killing, NC sheriff says

An off-duty deputy with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office is the suspect in a domestic violence killing at an apartment in Shelby, according to the sheriff’s office.

It happened Thursday, Nov. 6, and details of the victim’s identity have not been released.

“Shelby Police received a 911 call reporting a shooting at Crown Ridge Apartments, located at 1635 South Dekalb Street. They quickly determined that the suspect of the shooting was a Cleveland County Sheriff’s Deputy,” the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation reported in a Nov. 7 Facebook post.

“As a result, the NC SBI was called to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. As a result of the investigation, the SBI has obtained warrants for 37-year-old Mitchell Jeremaine Hilton, charging him with first degree murder.”

The victim, a woman, was found shot around 10:35 p.m., the Shelby Star reports.

Investigators have not revealed the person’s relationship to Hilton, who is in custody.

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office called the killing “a tragic domestic violence incident” in a Nov. 7 news release.

“Domestic violence is a devastating issue that affects individuals and families from all walks of life, including members of the law enforcement community,” the sheriff’s office said in its release. “It serves as a painful reminder that no one is immune to the far-reaching impact of these tragedies.”

Shelby is about a 50-mile drive west from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Off-duty deputy a suspect in ‘tragic’ domestic violence killing, NC sheriff says."