A 27-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder after three people were found dead inside a camper in Robeson County, North Carolina, in a case authorities have described as a “senseless and tragic” triple murder.Deputies responded to a property on Melinda Road near Pembroke early Sunday morning after a report of two bodies inside a camper. Upon arrival, they found a third person dead at the scene.Authorities have identified the victims as 28-year-old Tristan Goins of Maxton, 51-year-old Howard Dean Jones of Lumberton and 35-year-old Ashley Ann Jacobs of Pembroke. Their bodies have been sent for autopsies to determine the exact cause of death.
Suspect arrested after standoff
The suspect, Ethan Lee Spaulding (27), was arrested later the same day after a brief standoff with police at an apartment complex in Red Springs. Authorities said he eventually surrendered without further incident.Spaulding is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and discharging a weapon within an enclosure to cause fear. He is currently being held without bond in a detention facility.Sheriff Bernice Wilkins said investigators believe illegal narcotics may have played a role in the killings, calling the case part of a disturbing pattern of drug-related violence in the area.“The devastation caused by illegal drugs is impacting families and communities in Robeson County,” he said, adding that officers are committed to combating such crimes.The investigation is continuing with the assistance of federal agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward as they continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the murders.