A North Carolina family visited their local sheriff’s office hours before the father fatally shot his girlfriend and two children, later setting their home on fire and killing himself in an apparent murder-suicide.
Investigators believe Aschod Ewing-Meeks, 26, killed his family last week in what Davie County Sheriff JD Hartman referred to as ‘one of the worst, if not the worst’ case he had ever witnessed.A North Carolina family visited their local sheriff’s office hours before the father fatally shot his girlfriend and two children, later setting their home on fire and killing himself in an apparent murder-suicide.
Investigators believe Aschod Ewing-Meeks, 26, killed his family last week in what Davie County Sheriff JD Hartman referred to as ‘one of the worst, if not the worst’ case he had ever witnessed.The family walked into the sheriff’s office around 12:10 p.m. on April 18, seeking to speak with a deputy.
The receptionist asked for the family’s information and then gave them a phone number of someone to contact within the department. They reportedly left the premises around 12:15 p.m.
‘There was nothing out of the ordinary. They really wouldn’t interact with the receptionist or tell her what they wanted,’ Hartman said of the visit during a press conference Wednesday, People Magazine reported.
Brown called 911 at 12:35 p.m., again asking to speak with a deputy. She said the family had safety concerns but reportedly did not specify what their concerns were.
Eleven minutes later a deputy returned Brown’s call. The mother-of-two answered the phone and told officials she had been calling on behalf of Ewing-Meeks.
She passed the phone to Ewing-Meeks, but the call ended after 30 seconds. It is unclear if signal was dropped or if someone hung up.Authorities called the family back multiple times and had several short conversations over the span of about 30 minutes.
During the longest call, which lasted about six minutes, Ewing-Meeks explained he believed the family was being followed, adding that they were driving around the community.
He refused to give the deputy his specific location or return to the sheriff’s office to meet the officers.He advised with the officer that he thought that someone was following him, but he wasn’t in danger, they weren’t threatening him,’ said Hartman. ‘The officer attempted to get them to come back to the sheriff’s office. They were driving around; they wouldn’t tell the officer where they were.’
After the call, the deputy made two more attempts to reach Ewing-Meeks, shortly after 1 p.m., but the phone went to voicemail. Officials were ultimately unable to reach the family.Ewing-Meeks and Brown were last seen around 2 p.m. arguing in the front yard of their home, witnesses told police.
Moments later smoke was seen coming out of the house.
A community member, who happened to be driving past the burning home, drove to the local fire station to report the incident.
Firefighters responded to the property by 2:15 p.m. and discovered the victims’ bodies as they worked the fire.
The two children were found in the kitchen and Brown in the doorway of a bedroom. Police say Ewing-Meeks was found at the end of a hallway, near the kitchen, holding the gun.
Preliminary on-scene investigation revealed the fire had been intentionally set, however authorities have not stated how or where it originated.
‘All four victims are deceased from gunshot wounds,’ Hartman told reporters. ‘The fire was intentionally set. Mr. Meeks was deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and we found the gun that matches all of this actually still in Mr. Meeks’ hand.’ Investigators collected and removed evidence from the home as they continue to probe the incident.
‘I’ve seen a lot in 30 years, but children – and especially children that are killed by gunshots and burned – it’s pretty heinous, so it’s pretty close to the worst, if not the worst,’ the sheriff added.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help cover the funeral expenses and honor the mother and her young children.
Brown’s loved ones say she was an early childhood educator and well-loved throughout the community.
‘She loved her students and went the extra mile to make sure they were cared for as her own,’ the fundraising page states. ‘Ashton lived to be the best mother she could be for her two children, Bella and Brixytn. We are saddened by this sudden tragedy and wish to honor and remember them as such.’
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