Man charged with killing woman, 2 children in Fayetteville tells judge he's innocent

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The man accused of stabbing and killing three of his relatives in their Fayetteville home made his first court appearance in Cumberland County Monday.

He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder.

Authorities say Mackendy Darbouze answered the door with blood on his face, hands and pants when Fayetteville police responded to a 911 call of a stabbing at his family's home on Bell Arthur Drive Friday. Police then found the bodies of 77-year-old Beatrice Desir, as well as a 13-year-old and a 4-year-old with multiple stabbing wounds.

Three other children were also in the home at the time.

Authorities say Darbouze can be seen in the home surveillance footage walking around with a knife. A knife with blood on it was later found in Darbouze's room, according to investigators.

The mother of the 13-year-old killed in the incident tells ABC11 Darbouze is an adopted relative with more distant ties to their family. He was living in the home with his relatives at the time. Desir was a grandmother to children in the home.

"We're still learning about this case. It is very, very new. And as information comes along, we'll file more motions and work on this mine as the next step," said Aerial Chatman, a defense attorney representing Darbouze in court Monday.

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"It's difficult to hear these types of allegations," said Cumberland County DA Billy West. "I've been prosecuting for 25 years and this case is as bad as any I've heard about. So, it's extremely disturbing facts."

Darbouze could be looking at life in prison without parole or the death penalty if found guilty.

Darbouze--a Haitian immigrant--spoke out in court saying he was innocent in between using a translator. West says Darbouze does not have a prior criminal record. The judge denied him bond.

WATCH | Fayetteville Police News Conference hour after the crime