On October 24, 2022, Benjamin Barett Simmons, a 65-year-old white male from Gastonia, NC, tragically lost his life in a murder-suicide incident near Dallas, NC. Simmons was the front-seat passenger in a car driven by Darlene Hardin, 57, when David James Bright, 34, allegedly shot both Simmons and Hardin before turning the gun on himself. The incident occurred on Robinson-Clemmer Road, and the car was found crashed in a yard with bullet holes in the driver's window.
The investigation
revealed that Bright, who was Hardin's son, had taken his mother and Simmons to Charlotte when the shooting occurred. Family members reported that Bright and Simmons were close friends and former co-workers, and they were puzzled by the tragic events. Bright's recent breakup and mental health struggles were noted, but his family believed he had been doing better recently.
Gaston County Police Department confirmed that Bright was the suspect in the double homicide and that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the police.
This heartbreaking incident has left the community in shock, as neighbors and family members struggle to understand the motive behind the violence. The police continue to investigate the case, seeking answers and closure for the victims' families.
