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Stephen Larnell Willetts and Tracey Parker Willetts were both found shot dead inside their Wilmington, North Carolina, home on Thursday
(July 30)
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The couple had just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on Wednesday
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Tracey Parker Willetts fatally shot her husband, Stephen Larnell Willetts, before taking her own life
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One of the Willetts’ smartwatches detected a fall and automatically called 911 after the alarm was not canceled, prompting the emergency response
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Stephen Willetts was 65 years old when he was found dead
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The couple appeared to be avid paddleboarders, as depicted in several photos posted to social media, and was “well known in the Wrightsville Beach paddleboarding community”
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Jared Covington, owner of Wrightsville SUP, said he had known Stephen and Tracey Willetts for more than a decade. “We became like family, just sharing a love for being outside on the water, paddleboarding,” Covington said.
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The Willettses lost their two sons within a year of each other between the years of 2013 and 2014
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Fuller Royal, who said he was Tracey Willetts’ second cousin, made a post to social media saying that Stephen was a lifelong friend, and a devoted EMT
Stephen Larnell Willetts, 65, and Tracey Parker Willetts were found shot dead inside their Wilmington, North Carolina, home on Thursday
, one day after celebrating four decades of marriage.
Investigators determined that Tracey Parker Willetts fatally shot her husband, Stephen Larnell Willetts, before taking her own life
, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office said.
One of the Willetts’ smartwatches detected a fall and automatically called 911 after the alarm was not canceled, prompting the emergency response
.
Deputies responded to the couple’s home on Rowsgate Lane early Thursday.
Inside the garage, authorities found both Stephen and Tracey dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
The couple had just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on Wednesday
, according to their Facebook profiles.
Friends and neighbors immediately began sharing remembrances of the Willetts on social media.
Fuller Royal, who said he was Tracey Willetts’ second cousin, made a post to social media saying that Stephen was a lifelong friend, and a devoted EMT
.
Royal also posted about loss the couple had endured years before.
According to the post, the Willettses lost their two sons within a year of each other between the years of 2013 and 2014
.
Stephen Willetts was “retired Army”
, a neighbor told investigators.
Neighbor Andy Johnson said he would regularly see Stephen Willetts walking his dog. “He’s retired Army,” Johnson said. “I was in the Army myself, so we spent a lot of time talking in the afternoons and stuff as he came by, but he was very physically fit. He was into paddle boarding.
“
Another neighbor offered similar observations of the couple.
Neighbor Wyatt Heartline described Stephen Willetts as one of the friendliest people in the neighborhood. “One of the friendlier guys in our neighborhood, honestly, and he was always down to have a conversation,” Heartline said.
The couple was particularly known in the local water sports scene.
The couple appeared to be avid paddleboarders, as depicted in several photos posted to social media, and was “well known in the Wrightsville Beach paddleboarding community”
.
Jared Covington, owner of Wrightsville SUP, said he had known Stephen and Tracey Willetts for more than a decade. “We became like family, just sharing a love for being outside on the water, paddleboarding,” Covington said.
Covington reflected on who the couple had been in their community.
“There was never a dull moment with both of them around,” he said. “Tracey always had a story to tell. She was so animated. She was a boss. She was always fired up about something. And Steve was always there, right by her side, just laughing and pitching in and telling the story — sometimes laughing at her, sometimes laughing with her.”
A friend of Tracey’s also shared her impact on those around her.
A friend of Tracey Willetts said she was someone who always wanted to do the right thing for people in her community and noted that Wednesday marked the couple’s 40th wedding anniversary
.
In the viral moment that had just unfolded, the couple had reached a major marital milestone.
According to their Facebook profiles, it appears the couple had just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on Wednesday
. Friends and family posted congratulations and shared memories from their years together. The celebrations appeared joyful and unremarkable—the kind of momentary brightness seen across social media on anniversary days. Yet less than 24 hours later, neighbors awoke to police and ambulances at the home.
A smartwatch worn by one of the Willetts detected a fall and automatically called 911 after the alarm was not canceled, prompting the emergency response
on Thursday morning. When deputies arrived, they found both Stephen and Tracey dead in their garage. The brief window between anniversary celebrations and their deaths left shock rippling through the Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington communities.
The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains active and that additional information will be released as it becomes available
.