Henderson Father Charged With Murder After Two Teens Found Dead, Starved

Aron Newsome, 46, was present in his Henderson, North Carolina home on February 9 when Vance County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived and found his 13-year-old daughter and 17-year-old son dead inside. The two teens were cold and underweight. Investigators cited low temperatures, malnutrition, and physical disabilities as contributing factors in their deaths. A space heater was in the room but was not working because of a power outage.

The arrest came six weeks later. On March 21, after an investigation spanning more than a month, deputies charged Newsome with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of felony child neglect resulting in serious bodily injury. District Attorney Mike Waters said part of the delay was that the Office of the State Medical Examiner needed time to perform tests to rule out natural causes. A toxicology report confirmed drugs were not involved. Waters declined to detail the determined cause of death but was explicit on one point: the state is not alleging there was an intentional act or assault.

All four of Newsome's children, ages 12, 13, 16, and 17, lived in the Torri Drive home. The two who survived are now having their status reviewed by the Department of Social Services, a detail that carries extra weight given that the state took over child welfare services in Vance County in 2025, citing "serious safety concerns."

Neighbor Jennifer Brust said she "rarely saw an adult outside" the home. "We have seen Child Protective Services over there probably a couple of years ago when they had no heat," Brust said. Newsome himself referenced a prior CPS case during his first court appearance, where he also told the judge he is unemployed and has no income. Records show he separated from his wife in 2023; she filed for divorce in 2025.

No cameras were permitted in the courtroom for that appearance. Newsome is being held without bond at the Vance County Detention Center and is due back in court March 30. If convicted on all charges, he faces up to 88 years in prison.

Sheriff Curtis Brame acknowledged assistance from the Johnston County Sheriff's Office, the Wake County Sheriff's Office C.A.A.T., and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Criminal Apprehension Team in apprehending Newsome. Anyone with information can contact the Vance County Sheriff's Office at (252) 738-2200, Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at (252) 492-1925, or submit an anonymous tip through the P3 Tips mobile application.