North Carolina couple found dead in suspected murder‑suicide after 40th anniversary

Stephen Larnell Willetts and Tracey Parker Willetts were discovered shot dead inside their home in Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. Detectives say the incident appears to be a murder‑suicide, with the wife likely shooting her husband before taking her own life.

The couple had celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary the day before the deaths. A smartwatch worn by one of them detected a fall and automatically placed a 911 call, prompting the emergency response. Both were well known in the Wrightsville Beach paddle‑boarding community; Stephen was a retired Army veteran and Tracey was an EMT. The investigation remains active, and authorities say there is no known threat to the broader community.