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.
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20 Comments
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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.
You need to move to a country that would cater to this belief system. For now we have a document called The Constitution as well as the Bill of Rights.
What he is accused of is unquestionably despicable – however, he and criminal defendants do have rights under the Sixth Amendment (ratified in 1791). He may decide to plead guilty, but that also depends on what his attorney(ies) advise.
He has a right to trial. It is beyond comprehension and morally inexcusable how so many people are okay with allowing – even wanting, as you say you do – someone’s else’s rights to be stripped away.
Be careful what you wish for.
“First They Came” written by a German pastor might open your eyes …though I doubt it.
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.
Yea, it’s the school s fault. Give me a break.
They were home schooled
Same thing I said! Even down to the family and neighbors.
Do you not see how many people around here hate our public school system. And now when someone does not send their kids to school – now you want to be up in arms about it? Do you not question the other people on here who consistently say they homeschool and look down on those who do not.
Apparently he was not – in their words a commie/socialist liberal. He wanted to make sure he kept all that woke stuff away from his kids. That’s their belief and they spout it every time something happen with our school board.
The children were home schooled
They were home schooled
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.
How you gonna put stein in this Yall republicans run everything just like yall let these child sex offenders walk around and pardon them all and pardon drug lords and all. So stop it with assuming what stein is gonna do when we already see what trump is already doing This guy deserves what’s he gets
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!
So interesting. The people that condone and encourage the murder of innocent children in the womb are the same ones who will condemn the death sentence of a man who killed innocent children. Ironic.
Exactly! Murder of innocent babies (abortions) is one of many, many reasons to never vote for any democrat, ever. The hypocrisy oozes from democrats when they condone the murder of unborn babies, but are against the death penalty. I will never understand the lack of logic.
There is no sense in this man rotting in jail when he could be rotting in the ground. 6 months is more than enough time for a trial. The Judicial system baby sits murderers and tax payers foot the bill.
Bring back the firing squad. This nutball will sit on death row for many many years with the rest of em.
So basically we are paying for his meals
Del had fought in the Gulf War and did and saw things that caused his mental illness. It’s really sad that he didn’t seek the mental support her needed
Why is this in Johnston and nit Wake County?