WILMINGTON — New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office believes the husband and wife found deceased earlier this week died in a murder-suicide.
In a social media post NHCSO stated detectives believe Tracey Willetts fatally shot her husband — Stephen Willetts — before taking her own life.
The couple were found deceased with gunshot wounds by EMS Thursday morning, July 30. EMS then requested law enforcement arrive at the scene. A spokesperson for NHCSO Lt. Jerry Brewer told Port City Daily NHCSO arrived at the scene at 2:26 a.m.
Brewer confirmed that emergency services were sent to the residence on Rowsgate Lane after a smartwatch called 9-1-1. Many smartwatches will automatically call 9-1-1 if it detects a hard fall and users do not cancel the emergency alert that appears on the screen.
There was no sign of forced entry into the home.
Brewer could not tell Port City Daily if a motive behind the killings had been identified as the investigation remains active.
Tracey Willetts’ second cousin, Fuller Royal, took to social media Thursday to mourn his cousin and her husband. He noted the couple had two sons, Zack Willetts who passed away in 2013, and Colby Willetts, who passed away the following year.
“I can’t begin to imagine how much that hurt and what they went through,” Royal wrote in the post. “I pray they are reunited with their boys and that everyone is whole, safe and at peace.”
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