New evidence in unsolved deaths of 3 Lumberton women revives investigation
LUMBERTON, N.C. (WPDE) — A special agent with the North Carolina Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tells ABC15 in an exclusive interview Tuesday that they have promising evidence in the deaths of three women found dead in Lumberton.
“We can’t really discuss any specific evidence that we have in the case. But, I will say I do believe that we have promising evidence. And that’s all I can say,” said Special Agent Glenn.
On April 18, 2017, police found the bodies of Rhonda Jones outside a house on East 5th Street in Lumberton and Christina "Kristin" Bennett, on Peachtree Street in Lumberton.
Jones' body was found in a trash can.
Megan Oxendine was found deceased outside a house on East 8th Street in Lumberton on June 3, 2017.
Autopsy results show the causes and manners of deaths as undetermined.
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Therefore, police can't classify the womens' deaths as homicides, but said they have similarities that are highly suspicious.
“There’s no change to the investigation. Whether this is labeled a homicide. Or whether this is labeled an undetermined deaths. We are still putting forth the same amount of effort. The same amount of hours. The same amount of resources and I think the fact that we have the reward out there. The fact that we’ve done so many interviews. The fact that we have consulted with so many different departments. We’ve had analysts working this. We’ve had behavioral analysis unit working days. I think that goes to show it doesn’t matter what the label says. We are still putting the same amount of effort into this. We are putting a lot of effort into finding out who placed them they are. Because it’s obvious they didn’t place themselves there. And that is, our investigation, is to determine who did that. What offender did that?
She added they've done more than 400 interviews, worked thousands of hours in this investigation in conjunction with Lumberton Police Department.
Glenn said they've developed information from their Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) on the behaviors of a person who may be involved in the womens' deaths.
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"We believe that this offender may have left the community, after this happened. If they didn’t leave the community, their behavior probably changed. They may have started drinking. They may have quit their job. Maybe inconsistent behavior. They may have told someone. That they did it. And it was brushed aside."
Glenn said someone out there may have the information they need to solve this case.
"Sometimes, all it takes is for the community to come forward with that small little bit of information that matches something else that we have. That just kind of completes the puzzle. And I think that is something that we really need from the community right now. Is that little bit of information to match up with the evidence we have. We are asking the community to think back to this timeframe. And go, you know what, I didn’t come forward then, but I think maybe I should come forward now.”
Sheila Price's daughter was Rhonda Jones was one of the women found dead. Price has a memorial near the area where Jones' body was found in a trash can in Lumberton.
“I didn’t get to bury my baby. She was too decomposed. I had to cremate my daughter.
She was found in a trash can. I don’t know how anybody could live with themselves. I could not of done nobody like that. Nobody. And to know she laid there for days. If I would’ve had any idea at all that my youngin’ was in danger, I would’ve helped save her life if I could have. But I couldn’t, I think that’s the hardest part. I wasn’t there," said Price.
Price formed the group, Shatter the Silence, back in 2018 to raise awareness for the death of her daughter, Bennett and Oxendine, as well as all many unsolved murders in Robeson County.
“I’m not giving up. I ain’t gonna stop fighting. I might rest a little while, but I won’t never stop.”
The FBI is offering a reward of $30,000 for information that leads investigators to determine the circumstances that led to the womens' deaths.
ABC15 has learned the reward could be raised to $40,000 by the end of this week.
"We can bring money to the table. An award will help bring the community to speak with law-enforcement sometimes. People that are hesitant initially to respond. The reward might help with that," said Glenn.
If you have any information, you're asked to call FBI Charlotte at (704)-672-6100.
