Trending

Man charged with murder after 2 toddlers found in car with dead bodies, police say

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — Police have arrested a man on murder charges after authorities found two people apparently shot dead in a car that also had two young children in it.

>> Read more trending news

Authorities on Friday arrested Eric Coley, 42, on two counts of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is being held without bond ahead of a scheduled first court appearance on Monday morning.

Coley is suspected of killing two people found dead in a car parked at Barnhill Construction on Thursday morning, WTVD reported. Police were called around 6:15 a.m. after employees saw the victims with two small children in the back seat, WITN reported.

The children did not appear to be injured. At a news conference on Thursday, Rocky Mount Police Chief Robert Hassell said they were “toddler-age” and had been left in the car through “extreme cold temperatures” overnight and into the early-morning hours, WRAL-TV reported. They were taken to a hospital for evaluation, Hassel said. He added that the children were doing well and had been reunited with family members.

Authorities identified the two people found dead as Destiny Wiggins, 24, and Devone Brown, 28. A family member said the children found Thursday in the car were Wiggins’ daughters, according to WRAL.

It remained unclear Saturday what led to the deadly shooting. Police continue to investigate.