The Fayetteville Police Department is investigating a triple homicide that occurred early Friday morning on Bellarthur Lane, in the Cape Fear Crossing subdivision off of Clinton Road.
After receiving a 911 call from someone at the home, officers arrived at about 9 a.m. Friday and discovered multiple people critically injured with stab wounds, Police Chief Kemberle Braden said at a press conference. Braden said three of the victims — two juveniles and an elderly woman — were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names are being withheld until police notify next of kin.
An adult male suspect was taken into custody but was not arrested, Braden said late Friday morning.
“We’re still in those early stages of investigation trying to figure out what exactly happened,” he said.
Braden said the victims and the suspect all lived in the home where the incident took place and appeared to be family members based on the preliminary investigation.
“I don’t know the exact relationships of each and every of the parties involved at this time, but they all do reside in the home,” Braden said. “There is no current threat to the neighbors, the neighborhood or the Fayetteville community at large.”
The triple homicide occurred just hours after another homicide early Friday in the area of Bragg Boulevard and Winston Avenue. Braden declined to answer questions about the first homicide but did not indicate the two incidents were related. Braden also did not address questions related to the apparent uptick in homicides this year. So far this year, there have been 13 homicides in the City of Fayetteville, compared to 27 homicides in all of 2024.
Braden said he could share only limited information about the Cape Fear Crossing investigation because two of the victims were under 18. But he said police had not received previous calls related to violence in the home.
“A review of the calls for service at the home indicates previous calls are medical in nature,” Braden said. “But investigators will follow up to examine this tragedy and the events leading up to this morning.”
Braden said the officers who responded to the incident are being seen by peer support specialists. FPD’s victim advocate and the Phoenix Center are also “working closely with the family that has been impacted by this tragedy.”
“This tragic incident affects our entire community and the wellness of our first responders,” Braden said.
The police department is asking anyone with information to contact Detective E. Alrafai at 910-723-0327.
Contact Evey Weisblat at eweisblat@cityviewnc.com or 216-527-3608. This story was made possible by donations from readers like you to CityView News Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to an informed democracy in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.
