The tranquil community of Johnston County, North Carolina, was recently rocked by a chilling case that culminated in murder charges against a local man. The grand jury’s decision to indict Wellington Dickens III, aged 38, on four counts of murder was delivered on a somber Monday. This followed a shocking discovery in late October that left the community reeling.

The sequence of events began on October 27 when Dickens made a distressing 911 call. In a harrowing conversation lasting nearly seven minutes, he revealed to the dispatcher that his four biological children and his teenage stepson were dead, their bodies concealed in the trunk of a car stored in his garage. This tragic revelation was first reported by CrimeOnline, highlighting the horror of the situation.

Upon arrival at the residence on Springtooth Drive in Zebulon, police discovered that one of Dickens’ children, a 3-year-old son, was miraculously found alive inside the home. However, the grim discovery of the other victims in the car trunk indicated that their bodies had been there for a significant duration, casting a dark shadow over the investigation.

As reported by The News & Observer, the victims were identified, adding personal dimensions to the tragedy that unfolded. The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the deaths had occurred over several months. Leah was killed in May, followed by Zoe in August, then Wellington in the late summer or early fall, and finally Sean in September. This timeline of events paints a distressing picture of the prolonged nature of these heinous acts.

This case has left an indelible impact on the local community, drawing attention to the deeply troubling circumstances surrounding these deaths and sparking conversations about safety and vigilance within neighborhoods.

• Leah Dickens, 6
• Zoe Dickens, 9
• Wellington Dickens IV, 10
• Sean Brasfield, 18

The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said that the killings happened over a span of months. Leah died in May, followed by Zoe in August, Wellington in August or September, and Sean in September.

Sheriff’s Capt. Don Pate said that responding deputies detected an “obvious of decay” odor upon arriving at the home. The deputies also found evidence that someone tried to clean up a crime scene.

Pate added that the children were homeschooled and not allowed visitation with extended family members.

“I never would have thought this would happen,” Sean Brasfield’s father told WTVD. “I know there are a lot of eyes on Sean but there are three other innocent children who died.”

The father said his son had had cerebral palsy and could only see out of one eye.

Online court records indicated that Sean’s mother, Stephanie Rae Jones Dickens, passed away in 2024. She reportedly died of natural causes, following excessive bleeding and complications with a miscarriage.

Sean’s father reportedly said that once Stephanie started dating the defendant over a decade ago, he was cut off from spending time with his son. He told WTVD that he last saw Sean in 2014.

In August 2025, following Stephanie’s death, Sean’s father and the defendant spoke briefly on Facebook. Dickens reportedly asked for help with Sean, but “nothing” happened after the conversation.

The motive for the murders is unclear. The state medical examiner is conducting autopsies to determine how the children died.

Dickens is being held without bond at the Johnston County Jail.

[Feature Photo via Johnson County SO]