While Fayetteville recorded the lowest number of homicides in 2024 since before the pandemic, this year’s homicide rate appears to be inching back to levels typical of the past few years.
According to the Fayetteville Police Department, there have been 22 homicides so far this year in connection with 20 incidents. In contrast, the city recorded 27 homicides total last year and the same number of incidents. At this time last year, only three homicides had taken place.
In addition, three pedestrians have been killed by vehicles in Fayetteville this year. According to the police department, the deaths are not included in the homicide count.
As of Wednesday, there have been 12 arrests in connection to the homicides, the police department said. Addressing concerns residents may have about the uptick in homicides, Interim Police Chief Todd Joyce said his department is looking into root causes of the incidents.
“While all these investigations remain active even after an arrest has been made, detectives along with other sworn and non-sworn partners work tirelessly to determine underlying issues that may have contributed to these violent acts,” Joyce said in a statement to CityView. “These men and women are committed to investigating every avenue and ensuring that we provide the level of service to the victim’s family in the pursuit of justice.”
Fayetteville’s homicides have fluctuated over the past few years. In 2019, the city recorded 21 homicides, while the number jumped to 30 in 2020. In 2021, well into the pandemic, the city saw 48 homicides. In 2022, there were 44 homicides.
The city recorded 53 homicides, a record high, in 2023. But in 2024, murders decreased by nearly 50%. Former Police Chief Kemberle Braden attributed the decrease primarily to the department’s increased efforts to address domestic violence, particularly through its partnership with the city’s domestic violence and rape crisis center. The homicide trends in Fayetteville have also largely reflected national patterns in violent crime, where murders increased during the height of the pandemic before falling back to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. Violent crime in Fayetteville was also the lowest in a decade last year.
2025 homicides
In late January, after eight homicides had occurred a little more than three weeks into the year, Braden stated that the homicides were not “random acts of violence,” as most of the victims and perpetrators knew each other. Joyce indicated this continues to be the trend with Fayetteville’s homicides since January.
“I do feel that it is important to note that in the overwhelming majority, the perpetrator was known to the victim, even how slight the affiliation may have been at the time,” Joyce said.
Chief Braden retired at the end of last month after starting the role in January 2023. Joyce was named interim chief on March 21 and will serve in the position until the city hires a permanent head of the police department. An extensive search for a new chief began in January. Joyce said the police department is maintaining the same standards as before while the search is underway.
“The level of service by the Fayetteville Police Department to our community has not wavered during the search for a new police chief and personnel are literally working around the clock to investigate criminal activity and ensuring those persons responsible are held accountable,” Joyce said. “Additionally, it is paramount that we address officer wellness for the tragedies that all employees experience from the initial 911 call to the forensic processing of the scene and how we can provide services for these events.”
Several high-profile homicides have taken place in Cumberland County this year. One such incident was a triple homicide that occurred in late February — a mass stabbing that took place in a Fayetteville home where both the suspect and victims resided. Another case drawing national attention was the murder of Clinton Bonnell in late January. Bonnell was a former Green Beret, whose dismembered and decapitated body was discovered in a pond a month after his disappearance. Bonnell’s wife, Shana Cloud, is the prime suspect and has been charged with first-degree murder. After being denied bail at a court appearance on March 31, Cloud’s request for a public defender was granted last week; she is due back in court on May 7, ABC 11 reported.
Joyce said the Fayetteville Police Department is working with community organizations to support the victims and families affected by the recent homicides, as well as collaborating with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.
“Community input and assistance remain invaluable,” Joyce said. “The police encourage anyone with information to come forward, ensuring that we continue our proactive efforts in making Fayetteville a safer city.”
Government accountability reporter Evey Weisblat can be reached at eweisblat@cityviewnc.com or 216-527-3608.
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