A North Carolina man is accused of killing his four children after authorities discovered human remains inside the trunk of a vehicle at their home.
On Wednesday, a sheriff said that they believe the killings happened over several months. The suspect in the case was identified as 38-year-old Wellington Delano Dickens III. On Tuesday, he was charged with four counts of murder.
North Carolina Man Confesses To Killing His 4 Children
The sheriff's office said that investigators believe the suspect killed three of his biological children, who were aged six, nine, and 10. They noted that the fourth victim was his 18-year-old stepchild.
The incident began after Dickens contacted Johnston County 911 late on Monday and told authorities that he had killed his children. When deputies arrived at the man's home, he told them that four of his kids were deceased and had been placed inside he vehicle that was parked in his garage, according to WUNC.
In the arrest warrants that were filed against Dickens, May 1 was listed as the date of the killings. However, Sheriff Steve Bizzell said during a news conference in Smithfield on Wednesday that they believe the slayings were spread out over time.
Bizzell said they believe the suspect killed the six-year-old in May, the nine-year-old in August, the 10-year-old in late August or early September, and the 18-year-old in September. He added that the state medical examiner's office is now trying to determine the cause of death of the victims.
Other than the four deceased children, authorities also found a three-year-old boy inside the suspect's home, unharmed. Bizzell said that they have not yet identified a motive in the case, noting that an official investigation is still ongoing, USA Today reported.
A Despicable Crime
Online court records also showed that the father previously appeared in court on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29 for hearings on the murder counts. They also show that his next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 13.
The victims in the case were identified as Zoe, Wellington the IV, and Brasfield, who were all homeschooled before the killings. It was revealed that family members allegedly tried to contact the Dickens children in the past, but that their calls were not returned. Now, authorities are working to contact the biological father of the 18-year-old, who is currently serving in the military.
During the Wednesday press conference, investigators said that, looking through the suspect's home, they found that it was not well-kept. They said there was evidence that some sort of cleanup was attempted, as per WNCT.
