On the evening of December 7, 2025, the life of Fernando Casanova Sr., a 64-year-old man from Fountain, North Carolina, was tragically cut short. First responders were called to a house fire on King Farm Road around 8:15 p.m. and discovered his body in the backyard. It was determined that he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Fernando was known as a man whose presence brought comfort and whose love for his family guided his every action. He had worked for Tucker Farms for over two decades and was a cherished member of the Farmville community, a place he deeply loved and appreciated.
The investigation into his death quickly unfolded into a wider and more violent crime spree that spanned three different locations in Pitt County. Around the same time Casanova Sr.'s body was found, deputies were dispatched to a residence six miles away in Farmville. There, they found a 27-year-old individual with a gunshot wound to the back. Shots had also been fired at the house, narrowly missing two small children who were inside at the time.
The series of violent acts culminated at a third location in Greenville, about 13 miles from Farmville, where the suspect reportedly shot at two more people. In a fortunate turn of events, neither of these individuals was hit, and they managed to disarm the gunman. The suspect was identified as 38-year-old Fernando Alberto Casanova, the victim's own son. After being disarmed, he was taken to ECU Health for minor injuries before being questioned by the sheriff's office.
Fernando Alberto Casanova was arrested in connection with the violent rampage. He has been charged with first-degree murder for the death of his father, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and second-degree arson. He is currently being held without bond for the murder and attempted murder charges.
