North Carolina father charged with killing four children after 911 call confession

ZEBULON, N.C. — A Johnston County man is facing multiple murder charges after authorities say he called 911 and confessed to killing his children, leading deputies to a disturbing discovery at his home.

Deputies say 38-year-old Wellington Delano Dickens III contacted emergency dispatchers Monday evening and admitted to killing his children. When officers arrived at his home on the outskirts of Zebulon, they found his 3-year-old son alive inside the residence — but Dickens told them his other children were in the trunk of a vehicle parked in the garage.

Investigators say they located human remains inside the trunk, which appeared to have been there “for a significant period of time.” Authorities believe the children were killed around May 1.

Dickens was initially charged with one count of murder early Tuesday, but by that afternoon, he faced four counts of first-degree murder. The victims were identified as three of his biological children — ages 6, 9, and 10 — and his 18-year-old stepchild, according to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.

Court documents show Dickens’ wife, Stephanie Dickens, passed away in April 2024, leaving behind five children who lived in the home. His father also died the year before in a car accident in Lee County.

Family members told local reporters that Dickens was an Iraq War veteran. His great-uncle, Charles Moore, said Dickens hadn’t shown signs of distress the last time they spoke about a year ago.

Neighbors in the quiet, recently built subdivision say they rarely saw the family after the wife’s death. Some described the tragedy as “unimaginable” and said the children had not been seen outside for several weeks.

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