Dad invited dates over to his home as ‘some of his children were decaying in the trunk of his car’
Inset: Wellington D. Dickens III (Johnston County Sheriff's Office). Background: Multiple law enforcement agencies responding to Dickens' home after he allegedly admitted to killing four of his children (WRAL).
Posted For: Hauviette
Court filings in North Carolina have revealed new details in the case of Wellington Delano Dickens III, a father accused of killing four of his children and storing their bodies in the trunk of his car.
According to prosecutors, Dickens allegedly hosted multiple Grindr dates at his home during the period when the deaths occurred. Investigators obtained warrants for Dickens’ computer and two cellphones, seeking access to his Grindr account, as well as location and media data from the app, local CBS affiliate WCNC reported. Grindr is a location-based dating platform primarily used by gay, bisexual, and queer individuals.
Messages recovered from Dickens’ phone reportedly show him introducing himself to men as “the person they were just speaking with on Grindr.” Prosecutors said these men visited the home during the timeframe of the alleged murders, meaning Dickens allegedly entertained multiple men while the bodies of some of his children were in the car trunk in the garage.
In a separate court document, prosecutors said Dickens called 911 in October 2025 and admitted to killing his children. “I killed my children. It’s a lot to explain, but in a nutshell, it’s all my fault,” Dickens reportedly told the dispatcher, identifying his home on Springtooth Drive in Zebulon, North Carolina, about 175 miles east of Charlotte.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies found Dickens’ 3-year-old son unharmed in the residence. They then discovered “what were believed to be multiple bodies in the trunk of a vehicle in the garage.” Investigators determined the remains had been there for a long period.
In interviews, Dickens allegedly explained the deaths of his 5-year-old and 9-year-old daughters as resulting from punishments he admitted may have been too harsh. He reportedly claimed that after disciplining his younger daughter, he found her dead in her room, and that the 9-year-old died after he allegedly taped her mouth shut in response to comments she made about her sister.
He said his 10-year-old son, whom he had been teaching to box, stopped eating and died from likely malnutrition. Dickens said his 18-year-old child also died in September, likely from malnutrition.
Dickens further stated that his newborn son Riley died around one month old after the family moved to Zebulon in May 2023. Dickens claimed he buried Riley in the woods behind the home in a 4-foot-deep grave; deputies have not recovered the body.
The sheriff’s office said there is not enough evidence for additional charges at this time, but the investigation continues. Dickens’ surviving 3-year-old son is in the custody of the state’s Department of Social Services.
A neighbor, Josalyn Tabron, told WNCN that the community was unaware Riley had existed. “This is crazy. The whole situation is really devastating,” she said.
Dickens is being held without bond at Raleigh Central Prison. Prosecutors have indicated they plan to seek the death penalty. He is scheduled for a status hearing on March 27.
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