Judge raises bond for murder, rape suspect to $850K

A man accused of raping and killing a woman in west Charlotte is back in handcuffs and going back to jail after an emotional plea from loved ones.

A judge raised the bond to $850,000 for 22-year-old Raphael Wright Jr. in court on Tuesday. It comes after Wright was released from jail less than a day after he was booked.

The case

The details of the case are disturbing.

According to court documents, Wright was charged last month with first-degree murder and first-degree forcible rape. He was arrested in Rock Hill and extradited to the Mecklenburg County jail on June 27, where he remained for about 17 hours until his release at 2:15 p.m. on June 28.

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The charges stem from the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Michelle Lynn Schechter on June 16. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said she was killed at the Econo Lodge on Glenwood Drive, near Interstate 85.

According to newly released court documents, prosecutors say first responders arrived to find Schechter “lying on the bed mostly naked...” with a “gunshot wound to the right side of her back just below her shoulder blade.”

Seeing other evidence around her, a first responder “asked the victim if she had been raped.” She “responded yes.”

She was taken to a hospital where she later died, according to police. Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz learned Tuesday she left behind a 9-year-old daughter.

Court records say that Wright told police another person attacked him in the hotel room when he went to meet the victim for sex. But police said nobody else was seen entering or leaving the room on surveillance video.

Bond raised

According to court documents, Wright was arrested 11 days after Schechter was killed. In his first court appearance, Judge Jennifer Fleet gave him a $50,000 bond. He paid 10% and was released from jail just 17 hours after his arrest.

Prosecutors didn’t think that was right and asked for his bond to be modified or revoked.

“I don’t know how one can think he’s not a danger to the public,” said prosecutor Nikki Robinson, an assistant district attorney.

But Wright’s defense team said his initial bond was fair.

“It’s clear to me with his behavior here today that Judge Fleet’s decision was fair to ensure the safety of the public,” said defense attorney Chrissy Clarke-Peckham.

Ultimately, on Tuesday, Judge Reggie McKnight agreed with prosecutors and put Wright back in jail with an $850,000 bond. That is made up of $750,000 for the murder charge and $100,000 for the rape charge. McKnight said Wright’s initial bond “is not appropriate” for the severity of the charges.

Wright was put back in handcuffs and led out of the courtroom by deputies.

McKnight told Wright’s attorney that she could have another bond hearing about this in the future.

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