A Rowan County grand jury indicted Khari Dewayne McClelland on Monday, the same day he was arrested and charged in the shooting of Marcus Kauffman. Kauffman, 25, was shot in the head a week ago after he interrupted a break-in at his home in western Rowan County. Rowan investigators say McClelland, 23, of Harmony, was one of two men at the home that day. Four men face felony charges ranging from attempted murder to accessory.
It’s not yet clear if the others charged in the case were also indicted.
McClelland was escorted into a Rowan Superior courtroom Tuesday morning by sheriff’s deputies in a jail-issued orange jumpsuit. He was handcuffed and wore leg shackles.
During the proceeding, which lasted less than five minutes, McClelland was appointed Salisbury Attorney John Basinger.
McClelland was arrested Monday afternoon in Catawba County and was returned to Rowan County later that night where he was booked into the Rowan County jail.
McClelland was indicted on the charges of attempted murder, felony breaking and entering, felony larceny and felony larceny of a firearm. He remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $5 million bond.
Kauffman, who goes by the nickname, Marco, remains in the hospital, where his family has said he’s heading in the right direction.
Kauffman was seriously wounded Dec. 2 around 10 a.m. after he and his wife, Maryann, returned to their Chenault Road home to find a blue car parked in their driveway with the hood up.
Feeling uneasy about the situation, Kauffman dropped his wife, who is pregnant, off at a neighbor’s house then returned to his home. He encountered two men, one of whom was standing beside the blue car.
Kauffman asked if the men needed any help, but quickly realized his home was being robbed. He called 911 to report the break-in and the call was abruptly lost.
Kauffman was shot in the head while he was inside his car and subsequently crashed into a tree located at the end of a corn field near the couple’s home.
McClelland was developed as a suspect early in the investigation and a car that matched the description of a car that was seen at the home the day of the burglary was located in Alexander County.
Two men, Jaylend Daquanne Turner, 19, of Statesville, and Michael Dwayne Teasley, 25, also of Statesville, were arrested Friday.
Turner was charged with attempted murder, felony breaking and entering, felony larceny of a firearm and felony larceny. Turner remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under $3 million bond.
Teasley was charged with accessory after the fact, a felony. He remains in the county jail under $500,000 bond.
Authorities are still looking for McClelland’s brother, Tramel Devon Hart, 18, of Harmony, wanted in connection with the crime. Hart is considered armed and dangerous, and anyone knowing his location should call 911 immediately.
Kauffman’s family makes regular updates via a Facebook page, “Praying for Marco,” which has garnered responses and prayers from people beyond Rowan County and the United States.
According to the Facebook page, a neurosurgeon who met with the family, said he was pleased that Marcus’ “pressures are fairly stable today and is not needing as many meds to keep him that way.”
The family continues to ask for prayers from the community.
Anyone with information on this case is being asked to contact Staff Sgt. Jason Owens at 704-216-8683 or 1st Lt. Chad Moose at 704-216-8687.