Police: Wilmington woman shot husband in garage, then turned gun on herself
Family identified the two people found dead at their Wilmington, North Carolina, home on Thursday, July 30, 2026, as Tracey Willetts, 58, and her husband, Stephen, 65. A smartwatch that detected a fall placed the call to 911.
3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 15, 2026, 6:25 p.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 15, 2026, 7:25 p.m. ET
Couple found dead in Wilmington home a day after 40th wedding anniversary
Police have identified the two people found dead at a Wilmington, North Carolina, home on the morning of Thursday, 30 July 2026 as Stephen Willetts, 65, and his wife, Tracey Willetts, 58, according to reporting by dailymail.com. The couple were at their Wilmington home a day after their 40th wedding anniversary.
The deaths were discovered after a smartwatch detected a fall and placed a call to 911, dailymail.com reported. Police and deputies responded to the home.
Police said the woman, who has been identified as the suspect, died of a self-inflicted injury, according to dailymail.com. The casualty information was stated by police as of Thursday morning. No further details about what occurred have been released.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day: call or text 988.
Aug 15, 2026, 6:25 p.m. ETFirst report
Police say Wilmington, North Carolina, woman shot husband, then herself
Two people were found dead inside a home in Wilmington, North Carolina, on the morning of Thursday, July 30, 2026, according to reporting by dailymail.com. Police said the deaths were discovered after a smartwatch detected a fall and placed a call to 911. Police and deputies responded, and officers gained entry to the home through a garage door.
Police said Tracey Willetts shot her husband in their garage before turning the gun on herself, dailymail.com reported. Police named Tracey Willetts as the shooter and said her death was self-inflicted. Both are deceased, according to the police account, which was current as of Thursday morning.
The two were identified as Tracey Willetts, 58, and Stephen Willetts, 65, by a relative — Tracey Willetts' second cousin, Fuller Royal — in a social media post. Tracey Willetts, 58, was found dead next to her husband Stephen, 65, in their Wilmington home on Thursday morning, dailymail.com reported.
The couple were at their Wilmington home a day after their 40th wedding anniversary, according to dailymail.com.
This account reflects what police stated as of Thursday morning and what dailymail.com has reported; details may change as more information is released.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day: call or text 988.
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- Version 115 Aug 2026, 22:25current
First published.
- Version 115 Aug 2026, 23:54current
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- Version 115 Aug 2026, 23:25current
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