Prosecutors Announce Intent To Seek Death Penalty In Quadruple Child Murder Case
JOHNSTON COUNTY – During a court hearing Thursday morning, the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office announced it will seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing four children over several months.
Wellington Dickens III, 38, of Springtooth Drive in Zebulon, faces four counts of first-degree murder. He was arrested in October after calling 911 and telling a dispatcher he had caused the deaths of the children through what he described as excessive discipline and neglect.
Deputies later discovered the remains of the four victims in the trunk of a car at the family’s home.
Prosecutors said the case qualifies for capital punishment and confirmed they will pursue the death penalty.
Investigators have not released a motive but say the children were killed in the home between May and September 2025. The victims include his three children Leah Dickens, age 6; Zoe Dickens, age 9; Wellington Dickens, age 10; and his stepchild Sean Brasfield, age 18.
A 3-year-old child was found alive inside the residence when Dickens was taken into custody.
Search warrants indicate a possible fifth child was buried by Dickens in his backyard sometime in 2023. He reportedly claimed the one-month-old died of natural causes.
Dickens remains in custody without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 27, 2026.
Discover more from JoCo Report
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
So happy to hear this outcome
But the sentence will never be carried out because NC doesn’t have the back bone to pursue other methods.
You are CORRECT! NO MONEY should be spent on a trial on this low life trash. Do to him as he did those innocent children.
The kids didn’t go to a public school? And the teachers and school principal didn’t notice somehow that the kids were missing? Just asking really.
If there was ever someone who deserved it, it’s this guy.
Knowing Stein though, he’s probably commute the sentence and let this animal back out on the streets again.
My friend’s husband was shot and killed in 1999 and his murderer is STILL on death row. An entire quarter of a century and that f’er is still alive!