Background: News footage of the Chavis home, where the couple was found dead on Monday (WECT). Inset: Joann Chavis and Ted Chavis (Facebook).
The young suspect, a 17-year-old known only as D.P., was identified by the police as the prime suspect in this chilling double homicide. Following the gruesome discovery, investigators were led to the Boys & Girls Homes facility situated in Lake Waccamaw, approximately 80 miles away from the crime scene. It was here that law enforcement found D.P.’s vehicle. Upon their approach, authorities reported that the teenager died by suicide through what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In an update from local NBC affiliate WECT, a representative from Boys & Girls Homes clarified that the Chavises were not affiliated as foster parents with their organization. The spokesperson refrained from discussing any details regarding juveniles who might have been part of their care programs, emphasizing confidentiality.
The investigation, which extended across multiple counties, has yet to uncover a motive behind the harrowing events. Furthermore, the reason why D.P. traveled to the Boys & Girls Homes location remains unknown, leaving many questions unanswered as authorities continue to delve into the circumstances surrounding this tragic case.
Local NBC affiliate WECT reported that a spokesperson from Boys & Girls Homes said that the Chavises were not foster parents through that organization. The spokesperson added that they would not comment on “any juvenile who may or may not have been in our programs of care.”
After an investigation that spanned multiple counties, police did not provide a possible motive for the killings or why the victims’ foster son went to Boys & Girls Homes.
Sheriff’s deputies first responded to the Chavis home on a call for a cardiac arrest. Police said evidence at the scene led them to identify the couple’s foster son as the suspect, but specifics were not provided. The Hoke County Sheriff’s Office stated that the investigation is ongoing and is being led by the State Bureau of Investigation.
