Rain drizzled down the windows of the single-story home at 298 Dixon Drive on Monday as remnants remained of a party that ended in a deadly shooting two days earlier. An inflatable cow dressed as a vampire sat on the porch for Halloween, and pop-up canopies and red Solo cups littered the yard.
Two people, including a 16-year-old, were shot and killed during a party early Saturday at the remote property in southwestern Robeson County near Maxton. Eleven others were shot and injured.
The community is reeling from the violence as investigators with the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office continue their search for suspects and urge the roughly 150 people who attended the party to come forward with any information.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said there are “persons of interest” in the case.
Deputies were driving to the house at about 1:15 a.m. Saturday in response to complaints about loud music, according to the sheriff’s office. That’s when the Robeson County Emergency Communications Center received “multiple” 911 calls about individuals being shot at the party.
When deputies arrived, they found Jessie Locklear Jr., 49, and Nehemiah Locklear, 16, dead. It’s unclear if they are related. Both are from Lumberton.
Some of the victims were transported by ambulance, but most were driven in private vehicles to UNC Southeastern Medical Center in Lumberton and Scotland Memorial Hospital in Laurinburg, Chief Deputy Damien McLean said.
The violence likely shattered any sense of comfort brought by the county’s recent drop in homicides. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office has investigated 12 homicides this year, including those on Saturday, McLean said. That’s a significant decline from 29 in 2024, according to the state Bureau of Investigation. (The sheriff’s office tally is higher than what the SBI data shows.)
In 2023, the sheriff’s office investigated 41 homicides, which officials said might have been a record high.
“While I’m thankful that our homicide rate this year remains far below that of recent years, even one homicide is one too many,” Wilkins said in a Facebook post on Sunday. “Every life lost is a tragedy, and every act of violence leaves behind lasting pain.”
With about 117,000 residents in southeastern North Carolina, Robeson County has long struggled with drugs, poverty, and racism. The county is home to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and many Tuscarora families.
Robeson County sees too much violence among young people, McLean said. The 11 people who were injured in Saturday’s shooting are between the ages of 17 and 43. Four are 18, according to the sheriff’s office.
One victim was still in the hospital and was in stable condition on Monday, McLean said.
Wilkins said alcohol was at the party, and some underage attendees were drinking.
On Facebook, Wilkins encouraged parents to be aware of what’s happening in their teenagers’ lives, including their whereabouts, social media activity, and changes in behavior.
“I believe in the power of prayer and divine intervention,” the post says, “but we must also take personal responsibility as parents, neighbors, friends, and as a community, to prevent these tragedies before they happen.”
The sheriff’s office said homicide detectives are working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the state Alcohol Law Enforcement.
Wilkins urged people to be patient as the investigation continues. Investigators must talk to multiple witnesses.
“This investigation is complex in that multiple witnesses are being identified, victims who remain hospitalized must be interviewed, and forensic evidence will have to be carefully analyzed,” Wilkins said. “Rest assured, we will not stop until those involved are held accountable.”