A North Carolina real estate agent has been accused of committing a baffling triple homicide last week.
Connection to alleged victims unknown
North Carolina investigators are piecing together why a local real estate broker David Lever allegedly traveled to two separate homes in different areas to take the lives of three individuals he seemingly had no connection to.
Labeling it a “moving crime scene,” Pitt County Sheriff Paula Dance described a sprawling investigation across five or six locations in Greenville.
“As a result of interviews and evidence collected at each scene, the preliminary investigation reveals the incidents are related,” said a Saturday news release from the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office. “However, this is an active investigation.”
Fifty-five-year-old David Lever has been charged with three counts of murder and may face additional charges as authorities continue their work, according to officials.
Timeline of triple homicide suspect
Providing a breakdown of the violent sequence, Sheriff Dance highlighted that the events began around 1:20 p.m. Friday.
At that time, the first victim, 64-year-old Enrique Reyes, had just returned home after grocery shopping.
Nearby surveillance captured Lever, who lived only a few houses away, walking toward and then back from Reyes’ home.
Despite sharing the same neighborhood, Dance confirmed that the two men have no connection other than living on the same street.
Minutes later, footage showed Lever driving his van to a nearby gas station. After leaving the gas station, he apparently began shooting from his vehicle.
While no one was reportedly injured, a concerned witness called 911, marking the first alert to authorities about suspicious activity.
Not stopping there, Lever proceeded to Peace Ridge Court, about four miles from his home. He parked in the driveway of a house and knocked on the door, but the residents, who did not recognize him, chose not to answer.
Sheriff Dance noted Lever was later seen reversing out of their driveway. At some point during this time frame, Lever is also accused of firing shots into another home on Peace Ridge.
Lever’s next alleged stop saw him heading to the residence of Anthony Gribble, 80, and his wife Paula Gribble, 76, who lived nearby.
Authorities claim Lever fatally shot the couple, but investigators are still trying to determine any link between suspect and the victims.
Triple homicide suspect detained by alleged victims’ son
The Gribbles’ son, who happened to be in the area, reportedly arrived at his parents’ home, where he managed to detain Lever at gunpoint until law enforcement officers arrived and took him into custody.
Meanwhile, back at Reyes’ residence, a passerby spotted his lifeless body in the driveway at around 3:35 p.m. and called 911.
Given that law enforcement officers were already at Lever’s address, they quickly made their way to Reyes’ home. Once on-site, they discovered Reyes with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Dance.
A subsequent search of Lever’s house and vehicle unveiled an alarming arsenal. Investigators reported recovering at least 50 firearms, including handguns and rifles, along with multiple loaded weapons and rounds of ammunition inside his van.
Sheriff Dance stressed that the investigation, involving multiple crime scenes and complex timelines, will take considerable time to fully unravel, especially as authorities try to understand Lever’s motivations.
Deputies speculate that Lever was planning additional attacks, had he not been intercepted by the Gribbles’ son.
“The investigation of these cases leads us to believe there would have been additional victims had a family member of the victims not intervened until our deputies were able to arrive,” Dance explained.
Lever grabbed further attention during his initial court appearance on Monday morning, where his unruly behavior included insulting the judge.
Walking out of the courtroom, he called District Court Judge Daniel Entzminger a “motherf***er,” as reported by WITN.
Judge Entzminger subsequently ordered that Lever remain in custody at the Pitt County Detention Center without bond.
Lever’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 29, and sources indicate that additional charges are forthcoming.
