The Lake Royale community in Franklin County, North Carolina, is grappling with a devastating tragedy after married couple Kevin Killworth and Kimberly Killworth were found dead outside their home on Friday, August 7, 2026.
The deaths have prompted an investigation involving Lake Royale Company Police, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Authorities have described the preliminary circumstances as consistent with an apparent murder-suicide, while emphasizing that the investigation remains active and that official determinations will come through the appropriate investigative and medical authorities.
Kevin and Kimberly were identified as the two people found deceased at a residence on Sunlight Cove, a residential area near Lake Royale. Police were called to the home at approximately 9:30 a.m. Friday following a report involving unknown circumstances.
When officers arrived, they discovered two deceased people in the front yard and driveway area. Authorities subsequently identified the victims as Kevin Killworth and Kimberly Killworth.
The investigation indicates that the shooting may have occurred several hours before police arrived. According to Lake Royale Police Chief Robert Smith, information provided by the couple’s juvenile child indicated that the child heard two loud pops at approximately midnight.
Investigators also spoke with neighbors who reported hearing what they believed could have been a loud car door around the same time.
One neighbor later told reporters that he noticed a man sitting in a driveway while out on an early-morning run. The neighbor said the situation appeared unusual because the man seemed not to have moved for an extended period.
A particularly concerning aspect of the investigation was the presence of a child under the age of 10 inside the home when officers arrived. The child was found safe and was subsequently placed in the care of the Department of Social Services while relatives traveled to make arrangements.
Based on the preliminary investigation, authorities currently believe Kevin was the suspected perpetrator in Kimberly’s death before subsequently dying by suicide. However, investigators have stressed that the case remains under review and that the final cause and manner of death will be determined through the appropriate investigative and medical processes.
Police confirmed that Kevin and Kimberly were married in 2024. The relatively recent marriage has added another painful dimension to a tragedy that has shocked their neighbors and the wider Lake Royale community.
The investigation is continuing as authorities work to reconstruct the events leading up to the deaths and establish a complete timeline. Investigators are expected to examine physical evidence, witness accounts and other information gathered from the residence and surrounding area.
For residents of Lake Royale, the deaths have brought grief and concern to a community now confronting the loss of two neighbors under deeply disturbing circumstances. The presence of a child at the home has further underscored the devastating impact of the incident.
Authorities have not indicated that anyone else is believed to be in danger in connection with the case. As the investigation continues, officials are urging the public to allow investigators to complete their work and to rely on confirmed information regarding the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
