A North Carolina father has been accused of a horrific crime after allegedly calling 911 to confess to the murder of four of his children, whose remains were reportedly found in a car trunk at his home near Zebulon. The man also allegedly revealed to investigators that he had buried a fifth child in the backyard, as detailed in a recent report.
According to court documents, 38-year-old Wellington Delano Dickens III faces four counts of first-degree murder following his alleged admission to killing his children over a period of several months.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office shared on social media that deputies were dispatched to Dickens’ residence shortly after 10 p.m. on October 27. This followed a chilling call to 911 where Dickens reportedly claimed that four of his children were deceased and their bodies were in a car parked in his garage.
Upon arrival, deputies found Dickens at the home, along with his 3-year-old son, who was discovered to be safe and unharmed.
During a search of the garage, deputies uncovered what appeared to be human remains inside the trunk of a vehicle. Investigators suggest that these remains had possibly been there for an extended period.
This tragic case has left the community in shock as more details emerge about Wellington Delano Dickens III, who authorities claim confessed to these heinous acts before his arrest on October 27.
In a 911 call recording obtained by WRAL-TV, a man who identified himself as Wellington Dickens gave the home’s address and allegedly told the dispatcher he had killed his children.
During the call, Dickens reportedly told the dispatcher, “It’s a lot to explain, but in a nutshell, it’s probably my fault. It’s bad. It started out as me over-disciplining – that’s it.”
Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell said during a news conference late last month that investigators believe the deaths were spread out over several months, beginning in May and ending in September.
Law enforcement vehicles block the road to Wellington Delano Dickens III’s home, where remains were found after Dickens allegedly told authorities he had killed four of his children, Oct. 28, in Zebulon, N.C. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
Bizzell said he didn’t yet know why Dickens killed the children, “but as the sheriff, as a father and as a grandfather, I can stand here and say there’s no reason for a father to murder his children.”
Authorities said Dickens’ wife, Stephanie Rae Jones Dickens, died in April 2024 from complications of a miscarriage. Investigators believe the killings occurred between May and September of this year.
Neighbors described the family as reclusive and said the children were homeschooled. Deputies said the home had been visited previously when Stephanie Dickens died, but her death was determined to be from natural causes after she refused medical treatment.
Law enforcement vehicles block the road to Wellington Delano Dickens III’s home, where remains were found after Dickens told authorities he had killed four of his children in Zebulon, N.C. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
“The neighbors said they never saw them come outside, and they were homeschooled, so they were just confined to the house,” sheriff’s Capt. Don Pate said.
In court documents obtained by NBC News, Dickens allegedly confessed to burying a fifth child in the woods behind his home. Dickens allegedly told investigators his infant’s health had declined before he wrapped the baby in plastic or paper and buried the child behind the house.
Officials said the death was never reported, and relatives told investigators they hadn’t seen the baby since Dickens moved. The infant’s remains have not been found, according to NBC News.
Fox News Digital is working to obtain the indictment and charging documents.
“This case has affected every deputy, every investigator and every first responder who went to that house,” Bizzell said. “It’s something you don’t ever forget.”
Details about how the children died have not been released, but officials said the state medical examiner’s office continues to examine the remains to determine their causes of death. Authorities also said the search for the fifth child will resume once weather conditions improve, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.
