Police investigate domestic-related murder-suicide at High Point apartments

A welfare check at Eastchester Ridge Apartments ended with two High Point residents found dead from gunshot wounds, setting off a domestic-related homicide investigation in the 2100 block of Chester Ridge Drive.

High Point 911 received a non-emergency call Thursday evening, May 29, after 20-year-old Julissa Duarte had not been seen in recent days and was not answering her phone. Officers went to the apartment complex, knocked on doors, checked with neighbors and then looked through a window. Police said they saw a person on the floor, forced entry and found Duarte and 22-year-old Kevin Sanchez dead inside.

Investigators believe Sanchez shot Duarte and then shot himself. Police also said Duarte and Sanchez previously dated, and they are handling the case as a domestic-related homicide. The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the exact time of death.

The deaths marked another violent episode for High Point, which had recorded six criminal homicides this year, according to local reporting. Police have not released any additional details about the circumstances inside the apartment, and the scene at Eastchester Ridge focused attention on a complex that advertises itself as an income-restricted community with one-, two- and three-bedroom units, along with amenities such as a pool and fitness center.

For residents dealing with domestic violence or the trauma that can follow, the Guilford County Family Justice Center’s High Point office is at 505 E. Green Drive. The center can be reached at 336-641-SAFE, or 7233, and offers victim advocacy, restraining orders, safety planning, shelter information and related services for people facing domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and elder abuse.

The case also lands against a broader policy push in North Carolina. On May 15, 2026, the North Carolina Department of Justice announced a statewide effort to reduce domestic violence by convening fatality review teams to identify ways to prevent abuse and domestic-violence deaths. For Guilford County, the High Point case is a sharp reminder that domestic violence remains a public safety issue with deadly consequences.