Assaulted woman dies; man charged with murder

Raleigh, N.C. — Raleigh police filed murder charges against a man after the woman he was accused of assaulting died Sunday.

Christine Powell Parker, 44, died at WakeMed Sunday of injuries sustained during an attack at her home in the 4600 block of Brockton Avenue on Saturday afternoon.

Robert Earl Ellis, 45, of an unknown address, was detained by officers at the scene.

The magistrate said investigators believe the two might have dated in the past

Ellis initially charged with attempted murder, but police upgraded those charges after Parker died. He was being held in the Wake County Jail without bond, and his first court appearance was set for Monday afternoon.

Ellis convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in Wilson County in 1987 and served more than a year in jail for violating his probation from that conviction, according to state Department of Correction records.

He was also convicted of resisting a public officer in Nash County in 1993.