Laura Caitlyn Whitehurst, a 25-year-old woman from Greenville, NC, tragically died on May 13, 2019. The Pitt County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of shots fired on Whitehurst Lane, located northeast of Greenville off Hwy 264. Upon arrival, deputies found Laura Caitlyn Whitehurst and 26-year-old Christopher Levon Garris with gunshot wounds. Paramedics determined both victims were dead at the scene. Investigators believe that Garris shot Whitehurst and then turned the gun on himself.
The two were in a relationship but had separated, and at one point, they were living together. There were no apparent domestic situations between them before the incident. Whitehurst was in a vehicle when she was shot, and Garris may have been in the area before the shooting occurred. The deaths are being investigated as a possible case of murder-suicide, but a final determination has not yet been made.
Laura Caitlyn Whitehurst, a Pitt County native, lived all her life in the Greenville and Pactolus communities. She was a graduate of J.H. Rose High School and had attended Pitt Community College, where she earned a Certified Nursing Assistant certificate. Whitehurst had been working as a nanny, where she loved, nurtured, and cared for several children. She enjoyed attending Opendoor Church, coaching a young group of cheerleaders, traveling with friends and family, and spending quality time with her family. Her dog, Copper, meant everything to her, and she adored him. Whitehurst had a big heart, was very giving, and accepted everyone as they were, without discrimination.
The investigation into the deaths of Laura Caitlyn Whitehurst and Christopher Levon Garris is ongoing. Authorities have not yet released a final determination, and further details will not be available until a full autopsy by the Medical Examiner's office is conducted. The case appears to be a domestic situation, but the motive remains unclear. Sheriff Paula Dance encouraged anyone in an uncomfortable situation to seek help from local law enforcement, women's shelters, or other services available in the county.
