ZEBULON, N.C. — On Tuesday, Wellington Delano Dickens III, 38, was charged with four counts of murder after he confessed to the deaths of his children, leading deputies to human remains in the trunk of a vehicle in his garage.
Currently held without bond at the Johnston County Jail, Dickens initially faced murder charges linked to one of his children. By the end of the day, three additional murder charges were added as the investigation proceeded.
Dickens made a 911 call on the evening of Monday, reporting the killings to authorities. Upon arrival, Johnston County deputies found Dickens’ 3-year-old son unharmed inside the residence situated on the outskirts of Zebulon, approximately 25 miles east of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Investigators proceeded to inspect a car located in the garage and discovered what was described as 'multiple bodies' that appeared to have been there for an extended period. It’s believed that Dickens had taken the lives of his biological children aged 6, 9, and 10, along with his 18-year-old stepchild. Arrest warrants confirmed their ages but did not specify the birth date of one of the victims.
In court records, Dickens had a hearing scheduled where he was appointed an attorney. His wife, Stephanie, passed away in April 2024, and Dickens had stated that they had five children living in their home at the time. Following his wife’s death, Dickens’ father had also died in a car accident in Lee County, North Carolina, further complicating family dynamics.
Neighbor accounts reveal they had barely seen the Dickens family following the tragedy of the mother’s passing. One neighbor, Terry Fuller, noted, I noticed the kids haven’t been out playing for quite some time, but hadn’t put two and two together. This shocking crime has left the community reeling, raising questions on support systems for such families.
Zebulon, historically known for its tobacco market, is evolving into a suburban environment, raising concerns about how such incidents can occur in tight-knit communities.
