Deputies with the Hoke County Sheriff's Office responded around 6 p.m. on Monday to a home on Cope Road in Red Springs for a report of cardiac arrest. When they arrived, they found two people unresponsive, later identified as Joann Nicole Chavis, 46, of Red Springs and Ted Matthew Chavis, 53, of Red Springs.
Investigators said that Joann and Ted were stabbed to death. The couple's 17-year-old foster child was named responsible for the homicides.
Later that night, investigators found the suspect's vehicle roughly an hour southeast of the crime scene in Columbus County. The Columbus County Sheriff's Office said the car was found near the Boys and Girls Homes campus at Lake Waccamaw. The suspect was not inside the vehicle, prompting officers to search the property and place the campus on lockdown.
During the search, law enforcement found the suspect in an unoccupied area of the campus. Investigators said the suspect took their own life, though they did not explain how. First responders provided aid, and the juvenile was taken to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
No staff or residents of Boys and Girls Homes were injured. The organization said standard lockdown procedures were followed and that everyone on campus remained safe. The organization could not confirm whether the juvenile was currently staying there or had in the past.
The SBI confirmed to ABC11 News that it is investigating the death at Lake Waccamaw, while the Hoke County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the double homicide in Red Springs.
Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil called the situation "heartbreaking" and urged residents to support one another during a time of grief.
"Our community is built on strength, compassion, and unity," Sheriff Virgil said. "Healing will take time, but through unity and faith, we will find strength once again."
Columbus County Sheriff Bill Rogers also offered condolences and praised the cooperation between agencies.
"Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this tragic situation," Sheriff Rogers said. "We are grateful that no innocent lives were endangered."
Because the suspect was under the age of 18, law enforcement has not released identifying information about them.
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