North Carolina Teen Fatally Stabs Foster Parents, Then Kills Himself Outside Child Welfare Facility, Police Say

RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA — A 17-year-old foster child is accused of fatally stabbing his foster parents before later dying by suicide outside a child welfare facility, according to the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies identified the victims as 46-year-old Joann Chavis and 53-year-old Ted Chavis, who were found dead inside their home on Monday following what police described as a violent domestic attack.

Investigators named their foster son, identified only as D.P. due to his age, as the suspect in the double homicide.

Teen Found Dead 80 Miles Away After Killings

After identifying the teen as the suspect, authorities tracked him to the Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina facility in Lake Waccamaw, roughly 80 miles southeast of the Chavis residence.

“When approached by officers, D.P. committed suicide from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Officials confirmed the teen was not currently under the care of the Boys & Girls Homes organization, though his reasons for traveling there remain unclear. A spokesperson for the group told WECT News that the Chavises were not foster parents through their agency.

Investigators Searching for Motive

Authorities first responded to the Chavis home in Raeford after receiving a cardiac arrest call. Upon entering, deputies discovered both victims dead from multiple stab wounds. Evidence at the scene quickly led investigators to suspect the foster child, though no motive has been released.

The case spans multiple counties and is being led by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation in coordination with local law enforcement.

Community in Shock After Family Tragedy

The Chavis couple were described by neighbors as dedicated foster parents who had cared for several children over the years. Community members gathered near the home Tuesday to leave flowers and pray for the family.

The Hoke County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains active as detectives review the timeline leading up to the murders and the teen’s apparent suicide.

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