Couple killed in murder-suicide in Johnston County: What we know

Editor’s note: This story contains reporting about suicides, a topic that will be disturbing to some readers. Mental health resources are available at the bottom of the story.

Two people died in a Wednesday night shooting in Benson, according to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.

Just after 10 p.m., a 22-year-old woman heard her mother and her mother’s boyfriend arguing in their home on McGee Road. She immediately heard two gunshots before she ran out of the house and called 911, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

When deputies arrived, they found the mother and her boyfriend both suffering from gunshot wounds.

Ma Teresa Meraz-Cruz was taken to WakeMed hospital in Raleigh where she later died. She was 52 years old.

Her boyfriend, 38-year-old Migel Angel Ventura, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the statement.

In 2023, 68 people were killed in domestic violence incidents in North Carolina. Twenty-seven of those people were killed in a murder suicide, according the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Mental Health Resources:

• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with someone, dial 988.
• Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To speak with a trained listener, text HOME to 741741. This free, confidential service is available 24/7.

Domestic Violence Resources

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233
• The North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence for local resources