FOREST CITY, NC – A Florida man has been arrested and extradited in connection with a double homicide that occurred more than eight years ago in Forest City.
On September 24, 2025, Forest City Police, with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, arrested 55-year-old Jose Angelo Gonzales of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He has been charged with the May 18, 2017, killings of Akir Hooper and Stephanie Walker.
Gonzales is currently being held without bond at the Rutherford County Detention Center.
The arrest follows a lengthy investigation led by Forest City Police, with assistance from the SBI, FBI, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Sunshine Police Department in Florida, and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials say the investigation remains active, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Forest City Police Department at 828-245-5555 or submit tips via the department’s mobile app.
