Two Men Get Life for 2020 Murder of North Carolina Woman

Two Charlotte men will spend the rest of their lives in prison for the 2020 killing of a 20-year-old woman whose body was hidden inside a mattress.

A Mecklenburg County jury on Monday, Oct. 12, convicted Lavi Pham, 27, and James Salerno, 26, of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and concealing a death in the killing of Mary Collins. Judge Karen Eady-Williams sentenced both men to life without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutors say Collins, who had previously dated Pham, went to an apartment Pham shared with his then-girlfriend, Kelly Lavery, in March 2020 after Lavery arranged a rideshare for her. Prosecutors say Lavery, Pham and Salerno attacked Collins inside the apartment, stabbing her more than 130 times. Her body was wrapped in plastic, garbage bags and duct tape and hidden inside a mattress at the NoDa apartment complex.

Both men have maintained they did not kill Collins. Their attorneys argued that Lavery committed the murder and that Pham and Salerno only helped conceal it. Lavery pleaded guilty in June 2022 to second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and concealment charges and was sentenced to 25 to 32 years in prison.

Collins' grandmother, Mia Alderman, addressed the court after the verdict. Speaking outside the courthouse, she said the convictions still fell short. "This doesn't even come close to what Mary deserves regarding justice," Alderman said. The family has also voiced frustration over how long it took for the case to reach trial.

Pham and Salerno plan to appeal and will be assigned new attorneys. Another person, America Diehl, is charged with concealing Collins' death and has yet to stand trial.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.