North Carolina Man Charged with Murder of Four Children, Faces Death Penalty

The Johnston County District Attorney announced plans on Thursday to seek the death penalty for Wellington Dickens III, a 29-year-old man accused of murdering four of his children. Dickens was arrested at his home on October 27, 2023, after he called 911 and confessed to the killings.

Authorities discovered the bodies of six-year-old Leah Dickens, nine-year-old Zoe Dickens, ten-year-old Wellington IV, and eighteen-year-old Sean Brasfield—who was Dickens’ stepson—in the trunk of his car, parked in the garage. Investigators believe the children died at different times between May and September of this year, although District Attorney Jason Waller expanded that timeframe to include October during court proceedings.

According to search warrants, Dickens claimed that he accidentally killed Leah in May by beating her and later smothered Zoe with tape as punishment for inquiring about her sister. He asserted that Wellington IV and Sean starved to death after refusing food. A three-year-old sibling was found unharmed in the residence.

In addition to the current charges, questions have emerged regarding a possible fifth child. Dickens reportedly confessed to burying a one-month-old infant named Riley in the woods near his home years prior. He claimed Riley died due to a “decline in health.” Searches for remains on Dickens’ property and adjacent areas have yet to yield results, with adverse weather conditions complicating the efforts.

Dickens and his late wife, Stephanie Dickens, reportedly rejected traditional medical care. Stephanie passed away in March 2024 from complications related to a miscarriage, which an autopsy determined to be of natural causes. Following her death, Dickens allegedly delayed contacting emergency services, sitting with her body for hours. Despite this, he did not face charges. It remains unclear if child protective services were involved after Stephanie’s death.

The couple had previously been investigated in Wake County in 2016 for refusing medical treatment for Zoe’s jaundice at birth. Waller did not comment on whether Dickens would face charges in connection to Riley’s death during this week’s court proceedings.

During the brief hearing, Dickens, appearing in an orange and white jail jumpsuit, acknowledged his children’s maternal grandmother but did not address the court. Waller indicated that investigators are still trying to establish Leah’s exact age at the time of her death and when she was killed.

The case is complicated by “unique pieces of evidence,” according to Waller, including the body bags containing the children’s remains, which the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office has taken significant measures to preserve. The next administrative hearing in Dickens’ case is scheduled for March 27, 2026, and it is anticipated that his appearance will not be necessary.