Tragedy in Rocky Mount: Three Found Dead Inside Home, Family Demands Answers

Rocky Mount police are investigating the deaths of three people found dead inside a home on King Charles Court on Monday.

Officers found the bodies at 10:45 Monday morning, Rocky Mount police said in a statement. Police said that, while they haven’t determined a cause of death, there appears to be no safety threat to surrounding residents.

“The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has been contacted and will notify the Rocky Mount Police Department regarding the official cause of death,” police said.

Krista Crisp told WRAL that her mother, Tracey Swann, lived there with Kenny Swann and 20-year-old Mahala Scurlock, who Tracey had adopted. Crisp said the family’s electricity was recently turned off — a detail that, she says, could have played a role in the deaths.

Crisp said the family’s utility bill was over $2,000 and her mom was the only one working. She said her mother tried to make partial payments, but said the city would only accept the full amount.

Crisp suspected over the weekend that Tracey Swann might be in trouble. First, Swann failed to show up to a planned family shopping outing on Saturday. Then on Sunday, she didn’t answer the front door when a family member came knocking.

When a family member returned to the Swanns’ residence again Monday, she told Crisp: “I smell death.”

Police forced their way into the home to find the Swanns and Scurlock dead, as well as three dogs. The city of Rocky Mount did not immediately respond to a request for comment.