17-Year-Old Allegedly Kills His Foster Parents in 'Tragic' Double Murder By Daniel S. Levine

A North Carolina couple is dead after they were stabbed to death by their 17-year-old foster child, who later took his own life, local authorities said on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Hoke County Sheriff’s Department deputies were dispatched to a residence in Raeford, N.C., on Monday, Oct. 27, just after 6 p.m., in response to a cardiac arrest call, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. However, when the deputies arrived, they found two unresponsive people and began investigating the scene as a homicide.

During the preliminary investigation, the officers found that the victims died of “multiple stab wounds,” the sheriff’s office said. 

The victims were identified as Joann Nicole Chavis, 46, and Ted Matthew Chavis, 53, both of Red Springs, N.C. The sheriff’s office named the couple’s foster son, identified only as “D.P.,” as the suspect in the killings.

Authorities from the Hoke County and Columbus County Sheriff’s Offices, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Lake Waccamaw Police Department tracked down the suspect to Lake Waccamaw. When approached by officers, D.P. “committed suicide from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Chavis family, and everyone affected by this tragic incident,” Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said in a statement. “We are grateful for the assistance provided by our partnering agencies throughout this investigation.”

“Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this tragic situation,” Columbus County Sheriff Bill Rogers said in a statement on Tuesday, Oct. 28. “We are grateful for the cooperation between agencies and thankful that no innocent lives were endangered. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of communication and support during difficult times.”

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During the search for D.P., investigators found the teen’s car near the Boys and Girls Homes campus in Lake Waccamaw, per the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect was not in the vehicle, so police and the Whiteville Fire Department’s Drone Team began searching the campus. After clearing the occupied buildings, authorities then searched the unoccupied buildings where they found the suspect, “who at that point, took their own life.” The suspect was taken to a local hospital where they were pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office in Columbus County said.

“On the evening of October 27, there was an incident on Boys & Girls Homes campus involving an off-campus individual. Standard lockdown procedures were followed, and all Boys & Girls Homes youth and staff members are safe,” the organization said in a statement to WWAY. “The incident is under active investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation. Thank you to local law enforcement including Columbus County Sheriff’s Department and Lake Waccamaw Fire & Rescue for keeping our staff and, most importantly, our youth safe. We are cooperating with this active investigation.”

PEOPLE has reached out to the Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina.

The case is still under investigation, with assistance from the Hoke County District Attorney’s Office. Anyone with additional information can contact (910) 875-5111.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.