Amanda Tarpley, a 34-year-old woman from King, North Carolina, tragically died on February 4, 2015, in what authorities have determined to be a murder-suicide. Amanda, along with her husband Coleton Tarpley, 35, and their two sons, Coleton, 9, and Charlie, 6, were found dead in their home on Ralph Boyles Road, north of King. The Stokes County Sheriff's Office identified the family members and confirmed that all four died from gunshot wounds.
The investigation revealed that Coleton
Tarpley was the shooter in this tragic incident. The couple had a history of marital troubles, including a separation and a custody dispute over their children. Coleton had filed for custody of their two children in March 2014, alleging that Amanda had left the family home to live with a lover in King. He also claimed that Amanda had suffered a nervous breakdown and was not fit to have custody of the children. Despite attempts at reconciliation and counseling, the relationship remained troubled, with reports of further issues in the weeks leading up to the deaths.
On the day of the incident, Coleton Tarpley's father, Charles David Tarpley, went to the house to get the children off the bus and noticed something was wrong. He called the Stokes County Sheriff's Office for a welfare check, and upon arrival, deputies found the bodies of Coleton and Amanda Tarpley on the couch, deceased from gunshot wounds. The two children were also found dead in the residence.
The Stokes County Sheriff's Office conducted a thorough investigation and concluded that the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide, with Coleton Tarpley as the perpetrator. No further arrests, suspects, or litigations have been reported in connection with this case.
