https://www.wral.com/news/local/zebulon-four-children-dead-oct-2025/
A man was arrested in Johnston County Monday night for killing his four children.
According to the Johnston County Sheriff's Office, the 911 center received a call from 38-year-old Wellington Delano Dickens III, who told 911 operators that he killed his children.
The sheriff's office announced Tuesday afternoon that Dickens is charged with four counts of murder. He is charged with one count of murder for each of the children listed below:
Leah Dickens, age 6
Zoe Dickens, age 9
Wellington Dickens, age 10
Sean Brasfield, his stepchild, age 18
Johnston County deputies arrived at the house on Springtooth Drive in Zebulon and found Dickens, who told deputies his 3-year-old son was inside the house and alive.
Dickens then informed them that four of his other children were dead inside the trunk of a car in the garage.
Authorities believe the four children have been dead since May 1.
Wellington Delano Dickens III is charged with murder. The Wake County Public School System said the four children are not enrolled in the district.
Deputies confirmed that the 3-year-old is alive. When they checked the car in the garage, they found human remains in the trunk.
Authorities removed a two-door Honda sedan from Wellington Dickens III's home on Tuesday.
The Johnston County Sheriff's Office obtained a search warrant for the house and established that Dickens had killed his three biological children and an 18-year-old stepchild.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation responded to the scene, which is near the Johnston County and Wake County line.
The sheriff's office said this is an ongoing investigation.
Dickens appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon. He will be assigned a public defender.
A judge told Dickens in court on Tuesday that a first-degree murder charge carries a maximum sentence of life without parole or the death penalty if he is convicted.
Authorities are holding Dickens at the Johnston County Jail without bond.
On Tuesday, Johnston County District Attorney Jason Waller declined to comment on the case.
Dickens is due back in court on Wednesday.
WRAL News spoke with Chris Yingling and Fran Majkowski, who live near Dickens' home.
“I woke up this morning and looked out waiting for a package and saw all these cops, and was like, ‘Damn, they done intercepted the pack,” Yingling said.
"I walk by that house almost every single day," Majkowski said.
WRAL News asked Yingling how he's holding up.
“It’s definitely a horrible thing to happen,” Yingling said. “I wouldn’t wish anything [like] this onto anybody.”
Majkowski didn't know Dickens or the rest of his family personally, but remembers when they moved into the house on Springtooth Drive.
"I never saw a child outside playing," Majkowski said. "I never saw him mowing a lawn.
"The only time I ever saw them was the day they moved in and like I said ... it was very ... you just get the feeling someone is to themselves."
Majkowski shared how the neighborhood reached out to Dickens in 2024 after his wife died.
"This is a new neighborhood," Majkowski said. " have been here for three years. Everyone else has been here a year and a half to two years. There was an outpouring of support."
Another neighbor, Sherry Burton, told WRAL News that she last saw Dickens about "a month ago," and that he was acting strangly.
"He seemed like his mind was somewhere else," Burton said.
Burton also told WRAL News that her son smelled some "funky ass shit," coming from the house, to the point where her son almost vomitted from the smell.
WRAL News also spoke with Charles Moore, who is Dickens' great uncle.
Moore said he last saw Dickens about a year ago and "he seemed fine."
Dickens is an Iraq War veteran, according to Moore. WRAL News is working to find out what branch of the military Dickens was in and his rank.
"We know he had a little problem," Moore said of Dickens.
WRAL News asked Moore specifically what kind of problem.
"He was in the service, and he had a problem ever since he came back, I think," Moore said.
Moore shared how he felt learning of the news on Tuesday.
"Like anybody else I was just shocked," Moore said. "You hear it, talk about it happening to other people. You just wouldn’t think it would happen to one of your own."
Them poor kids man. It sounds like dude already had PTSD from being in Iraq then lost his wife in 2024 due to pregnancy complications. Mental illness is real. Sadly this fucking guy lost his shit and took out his own seeds.
A man was arrested in Johnston County Monday night for killing his four children.
According to the Johnston County Sheriff's Office, the 911 center received a call from 38-year-old Wellington Delano Dickens III, who told 911 operators that he killed his children.
The sheriff's office announced Tuesday afternoon that Dickens is charged with four counts of murder. He is charged with one count of murder for each of the children listed below:
Leah Dickens, age 6
Zoe Dickens, age 9
Wellington Dickens, age 10
Sean Brasfield, his stepchild, age 18
Johnston County deputies arrived at the house on Springtooth Drive in Zebulon and found Dickens, who told deputies his 3-year-old son was inside the house and alive.
Dickens then informed them that four of his other children were dead inside the trunk of a car in the garage.
Authorities believe the four children have been dead since May 1.
Wellington Delano Dickens III is charged with murder. The Wake County Public School System said the four children are not enrolled in the district.
Deputies confirmed that the 3-year-old is alive. When they checked the car in the garage, they found human remains in the trunk.
Authorities removed a two-door Honda sedan from Wellington Dickens III's home on Tuesday.
The Johnston County Sheriff's Office obtained a search warrant for the house and established that Dickens had killed his three biological children and an 18-year-old stepchild.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation responded to the scene, which is near the Johnston County and Wake County line.
The sheriff's office said this is an ongoing investigation.
Dickens appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon. He will be assigned a public defender.
A judge told Dickens in court on Tuesday that a first-degree murder charge carries a maximum sentence of life without parole or the death penalty if he is convicted.
Authorities are holding Dickens at the Johnston County Jail without bond.
On Tuesday, Johnston County District Attorney Jason Waller declined to comment on the case.
Dickens is due back in court on Wednesday.
WRAL News spoke with Chris Yingling and Fran Majkowski, who live near Dickens' home.
“I woke up this morning and looked out waiting for a package and saw all these cops, and was like, ‘Damn, they done intercepted the pack,” Yingling said.
"I walk by that house almost every single day," Majkowski said.
WRAL News asked Yingling how he's holding up.
“It’s definitely a horrible thing to happen,” Yingling said. “I wouldn’t wish anything [like] this onto anybody.”
Majkowski didn't know Dickens or the rest of his family personally, but remembers when they moved into the house on Springtooth Drive.
"I never saw a child outside playing," Majkowski said. "I never saw him mowing a lawn.
"The only time I ever saw them was the day they moved in and like I said ... it was very ... you just get the feeling someone is to themselves."
Majkowski shared how the neighborhood reached out to Dickens in 2024 after his wife died.
"This is a new neighborhood," Majkowski said. " have been here for three years. Everyone else has been here a year and a half to two years. There was an outpouring of support."
Another neighbor, Sherry Burton, told WRAL News that she last saw Dickens about "a month ago," and that he was acting strangly.
"He seemed like his mind was somewhere else," Burton said.
Burton also told WRAL News that her son smelled some "funky ass shit," coming from the house, to the point where her son almost vomitted from the smell.
WRAL News also spoke with Charles Moore, who is Dickens' great uncle.
Moore said he last saw Dickens about a year ago and "he seemed fine."
Dickens is an Iraq War veteran, according to Moore. WRAL News is working to find out what branch of the military Dickens was in and his rank.
"We know he had a little problem," Moore said of Dickens.
WRAL News asked Moore specifically what kind of problem.
"He was in the service, and he had a problem ever since he came back, I think," Moore said.
Moore shared how he felt learning of the news on Tuesday.
"Like anybody else I was just shocked," Moore said. "You hear it, talk about it happening to other people. You just wouldn’t think it would happen to one of your own."
Them poor kids man. It sounds like dude already had PTSD from being in Iraq then lost his wife in 2024 due to pregnancy complications. Mental illness is real. Sadly this fucking guy lost his shit and took out his own seeds.
