In a deeply disturbing case that has shocked a rural North Carolina community, a father stands accused of murdering four of his children, with their bodies allegedly discovered stuffed in the trunk of a car while he reportedly brought dates from the Grindr app to his home. Wellington Delano Dickens III, a 38-year-old resident from the eastern part of the state, turned himself in to Johnston County authorities last October, directing them to the location of the remains.
Gruesome Details Emerge from Search Warrants
According to search warrant documents released on January 14, Dickens has denied torturing his children but conceded to police that he may have "over-punished" them. The warrants paint a harrowing timeline of the alleged killings, which authorities believe began in May of last year. Officials allege that five-year-old daughter Leah Dickens died after being disciplined by her father.
Text Messages and App Encounters Revealed
During a search of his home, officers recovered two cellphones. One of the devices, which did not have the Grindr app installed, reportedly contained text messages believed to have been sent by Dickens introducing himself to individuals he met through the application. The search warrant papers indicate that several people Dickens encountered via Grindr are believed to have visited his home during the period when the children were murdered.
In August, Dickens allegedly taped up the mouth of nine-year-old Zoe Dickens for making comments about her sister's death. He later told police that when he returned to check on the older girl, she had also died. The tragic sequence continued with the deaths of ten-year-old son Wellington Dickens in late August or early September, and stepson Sean Brassfield, aged 18, in September. Dickens informed authorities that both boys succumbed to malnutrition.
A Secluded and Tragic Family Life
Sheriff's Captain Don Pate described the family's existence as "very secluded" during an October press conference, noting that the children were homeschooled and rarely seen outside by neighbours. "The neighbors said they never saw them come outside, and they were homeschooled, so they were just confined to the house," Pate stated.
Further Tragedy and a Missing Grave
The family's misfortune extended beyond the four charged murders. Dickens' wife, Stephanie Rae Jones Dickens, who was three months pregnant, was found dead at home in April 2024. Dickens told authorities she had experienced severe bleeding the night before but refused medical help. Her death was attributed to complications from a miscarriage by local sheriff Steve Bizzell.
Additionally, warrants reported by local news affiliate WBTV reveal that Dickens admitted a fifth child, a one-month-old baby boy, fell ill and died shortly after the family moved into the home. Dickens allegedly buried his son's body in a four-foot-deep hole without a marker; authorities have yet to locate that grave.
Disposal of Remains and Legal Proceedings
The search warrant documents disclosed that Dickens told police he had placed the other four children's remains in body bags purchased on Amazon before depositing them in the trunk of his car. He had ceased driving the vehicle because it was no longer operational.
When police were initially called to the scene, a three-year-old son was found unharmed in the home and has since been placed in protective custody. In a significant development last December, state prosecutors announced they would be seeking the death penalty for Dickens, who faces four charges of murder. If convicted, his case will be automatically appealed, and should a death sentence be overturned, he would spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A trial date has not yet been established, with the next court hearing scheduled for March 27. The community and legal observers await further proceedings in this profoundly tragic case.
