A North Carolina father called 9-1-1 Monday night and confessed to killing four of his children, leading investigators to a grim discovery at his Zebulon home.
Wellington Delano Dickens III, 38, placed the emergency call at 10:09 p.m. on Monday, October 27, 2025, informing operators that he had killed his children. When Johnston County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at his residence on Springtooth Drive, Dickens directed them to the trunk of a car parked in his garage, where they found the bodies of four children.
Deputies discovered the remains of three of Dickens’ biological children and one stepchild inside the vehicle’s trunk. Investigators determined the bodies had been there for an extended period. Authorities later identified the victims as Leah Dickens, 6, Zoe Dickens, 9, Wellington Dickens, 10, and Sean Brasfield, 18.
Inside the house, deputies found Dickens’ 3-year-old son alive and unharmed. The boy was the only surviving child in the household.
Arrest warrants initially listed May 1 as the offense date for the killings. However, Sheriff Steve Bizzell revealed at a Wednesday press conference that the deaths occurred over several months. According to investigators, 6-year-old Leah Dickens was killed first in May 2025, followed by 9-year-old Zoe Dickens in August 2025. Wellington Dickens IV, 10, was killed in late August or early September 2025, and 18-year-old Sean Brasfield was killed last in September 2025.
Dickens appeared in court on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, where he was initially charged with one count of murder in the death of one of his juvenile children. By the end of the day, authorities had filed three additional murder charges, bringing the total to four counts. He is being held without bond at the Johnston County Jail.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office has not disclosed how the children died or identified a possible motive for the killings. The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner responded to the scene and is working to confirm the identities of the remains through forensic examination.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation joined the case to assist local authorities with the complex investigation. Deputies secured the scene and obtained a search warrant for the Zebulon residence, located approximately 25 miles east of Raleigh.
Court records from the estate of Dickens’ wife, Stephanie Rae Jones Dickens, indicate she died on April 21, 2024, and that five children lived in their Zebulon home. Sheriff Bizzell said Stephanie was three months pregnant at the time of her death. She had experienced excessive bleeding the night before but refused to seek medical treatment. Authorities determined her death was caused by complications from a miscarriage and ruled it natural. Her death came just over a year after Dickens’ father died in a car crash in North Carolina.
Dickens’ great uncle, Charles Moore, told local media that Dickens served as an Iraq War veteran. Moore indicated he last saw his great-nephew approximately a year ago and that Dickens appeared fine at the time.
The sheriff’s office has not disclosed whether the children had been reported missing between May and the October discovery. Authorities also have not provided information about why Dickens decided to contact 9-1-1 after keeping the bodies concealed for several months.
Dickens has been assigned a public defender through the Johnston County Public Defender’s Office, which did not respond to requests for comment. Court records show his next scheduled appearance is a probable cause hearing set for November 13.
The investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together the timeline of events and determine the full circumstances surrounding the deaths. The Medical Examiner’s Office continues its work to officially identify the remains and determine the causes of death.
The lone surviving child, the 3-year-old boy, was placed in protective custody following the discovery. Authorities have not disclosed details about his condition or current placement.