Domestic violence deaths on record pace

High Point Enterprise - 3/22/2023

Mar. 22—HIGH POINT — A new report shows that North Carolina is on pace to set a record for domestic violence homicides this year, with Guilford County posting the most deaths so far in 2023 in part because of a murder-suicide that left the killer and four others dead in High Point more than two months ago.

The N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence has pinpointed 22 domestic violence homicides in the first 2 1/2 months of 2023. If that pace were to keep up, the state could have more than 100 domestic violence homicides this year, according to the coalition.

Bridget McEnaney, a volunteer for the group, said it's the highest number of homicides she can recall.

"This has been the deadliest year I can remember since I started tracking for the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 2016," she said. "I am really hoping we somehow see this trend slow down as we head into the warmer months."

The organization counted 47 homicides for all of 2022 and 67 homicides for all of 2021.

So far this year Guilford County leads among the state's 100 counties with seven domestic violence homicides. Four of the deaths happened on Jan. 7 when Robert Crayton Jr. shot and killed his wife and three of his children at their home in north High Point.

Last year in Guilford County there was one domestic violence homicide, and in 2021 there were four, the coalition reports.

In addition to the domestic violence homicides in the state so far this year, there have been 10 domestic violence-related suicides, including Robert Crayton's.

Catherine Johnson, the director of the Guilford County Family Justice Center, which provides resources to victims of domestic violence and child and elder abuse, said that homicides tied to families have been on the rise.

"Which is horrible," Johnson said. "It's about the ultimate control over a domestic violence victim. It's a cycle of power and control. When they kill the victim and then kill themselves, it's the ultimate act of control."

The trend reemphasizes the importance of the community letting people know about available resources to counter domestic violence, Johnson said.

"We can prevent homicides," she said.

The increasing cost of housing makes it more difficult for someone trapped in an unsafe relationship to find a place to move, said Lu-Ann Wilkinson, adult victim advocate coordinator with Family Service of the Piedmont.

"We have a lot of wonderful community agencies, but sometimes the need is so much greater than what's actually available," Wilkinson said.

The disturbing trend with domestic violence homicides emphasizes the importance of funding efforts to thwart family-based killings, said Kathleen Lockwood, policy director for the coalition.

"The work of these domestic violence service providers is essential to the health and safety of all North Carolinians, and it is imperative that our government continue to fund them to do this lifesaving work," Lockwood said.

pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul

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