Police and family plead for help solving murder of Cumberlands student

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVQ/WSOC)- Police and family members are pleading for help solving the murder of a University of the Cumberlands student.

Police say someone shot and killed 21-year-old Zach Finch on Father’s Day. He was visiting Charlotte, North Carolina. His family says he drove to an apartment complex outside the city when someone tried to rob him.

Family in North Carolina say Zach Finch was trying to buy a phone on an app called “Let Go” when someone shot him in the back as he tried to run away.

“You can see the smile on his face just incredibly bright and very infectious,” Nicholas Finch said, holding up a photo of his brother Tuesday as he pleaded, alongside investigators, for help finding whoever murdered 21-year-old Zach, a senior baseball player at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg.

“All of his teammates have nothing, but good things to say about him. The kid didn’t have an enemy in the world. He was a team player. He always motivated everyone that was around him…You know, they really cared about him,” Finch said, tearfully.

Family members say Finch drove to a Mint Hill apartment complex on Father’s Day afternoon to buy a phone from someone he met on the app “Let Go”.

They say he was shot after someone tried to rob him, something police would not confirm Tuesday.

“We’re not going to get into specifics about what Zachary was doing at the time,” Sergeant Susan Manassah said.

She did say, though, he was not doing anything illegal. Officers are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

“There’s windows, there’s parks, there’s kids playing. People were outside and so we know that somebody has some information. We want them to come forward,” Sergeant Manassah said.

Police say Finch’s murder makes the 43rd homicide in Charlotte this year.

“Zachary could be anybody. It can happen to anyone and it needs to stop,” Sergeant Manassah said.

As they continue to investigate, police are encouraging everyone to be safe when buying or selling items through apps. They say it is safest to meet up in public spaces like a police department parking lot.