Attorney General Jeff Jackson Announces Conviction in Asheville Murder Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 23, 2025

Contact: Nazneen Ahmed
(919) 716-0060

RALEIGH - Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced that Menelik Tefari Nesanet pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Brittney Gamez-Farjat in 2022. He will serve between 13 years and 16 years and 9 months in prison. Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams referred the case to the Department of Justice's Special Prosecutions Section. Special Deputy Attorneys General Arneatha James and Bob Brackett prosecuted the case.

"Thanks to the hard work of the Asheville Police Department and prosecutors from our office, a dangerous criminal is going to spend more than a decade in prison for murder," said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. "Our office will always fight to prosecute violent criminals and keep our communities safe. I'm grateful to District Attorney Todd Williams for his partnership on this case."

"The Buncombe DA's Office thanks the special prosecutions division of the NCAGO and appreciates the ongoing collaborative effort to hold violent offenders and drug traffickers accountable in NC courts," said District Attorney Todd Williams.

In July 2022, Nesanet got into a verbal dispute with Donald Harrison on French Broad Avenue in Asheville. During that dispute, Nesanet pulled out a gun and shot Harrison. He also hit Brittney Gamez-Farjat, who was in the crowd. Gamez-Farjat died later that evening at the hospital. Asheville Police officers arrested Nesanet in Charlotte three days later.

###