A man accused of killing three people inside of a camper in North Carolina allegedly surrendered to authorities during a standoff hours after the murders.
Ethan Lee Spaulding of Maxton was arrested the evening of Sunday, March 22, on three counts of first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and discharging a weapon within an enclosure to incite fear, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office said in a Monday, March 23, news release.
Spaulding is charged in the deaths of Triston Goins, Howard Dean Jones and Ashley N. Jacobs, according to authorities.
Deputies with the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office found Goins, 28, Jones, 51, and Jacobs, 35, dead inside a camper in Pembroke the morning of March 22, the sheriff’s office said.
“This arrest marks a significant step toward justice in what is a truly senseless and tragic triple homicide in the Prospect Community outside of Pembroke,” Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said in a statement.
“I commend our investigators for their tireless work, and unwavering commitment to bringing this suspect into custody, and also thank the community for their patience and cooperation,” Wilkins added. “Unfortunately, this case is yet another example of a pattern we continue to see; drugs playing a major role in violent crime within our county.”
Spaulding was arrested later in the evening on March 22 as the result of a “short standoff” at an apartment complex in Red Springs, according to the sheriff’s office.
He ultimately walked out of an apartment building and “surrendered,” authorities said.
A potential motive for the killings was not specified by law enforcement.
According to court documents viewed by Us Weekly, Spaulding was armed with a 40-caliber firearm and a 12-gauge shotgun inside the camper where he allegedly killed Goins, Jones and Jacobs.
The sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate the triple homicide with the help of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Spaulding is being held in custody without bond, court records show. He is due in court for a disposition hearing on April 2.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information relevant to the homicide to contact the agency by calling 910-671-3100 or emailing Wilkins at sheriff.wilkins@robesoncountysonc.gov.
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