Law enforcement called to Garner home hours before fatal fire, report shows
The night before two teens and a man were found dead after a house fire in southern Wake County, police were called to the home for a domestic violence incident, public records show.
The bodies of 49-year-old Shannon Collins, a 13-year-old, a 15-year-old and two cats were discovered by firefighters about 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. First responders had been called to a fire at their Rand Road home near Garner at 9:38 a.m., The News & Observer previously reported.
The Wake County Sheriff’s Office has not released the teenagers’ identities. Real estate records show Collins and his wife purchased the home, which was built in 2003, in July 2021.
Hours before the tragedy, the sheriff’s office responded to a report of domestic violence at the home at 6:25 p.m. Monday, according to an incident report.
Though domestic violence was reported, the incident was not classified as a crime, the report states. The sheriff’s office had not responded to an inquiry from The N&O about the report by press time.
The investigation into the fire remained open as of Wednesday afternoon.
“The entire Sheriff’s Office is thinking about and praying for the loved ones of the victims,” Sheriff Willie Rowe said in a statement Tuesday. “Our investigators and partnering agencies are working diligently to conduct a thorough investigation. We ask for your patience as that work continues.”
