A mother and her young daughter were tragically killed in a murder-suicide carried out by the girl’s father in North Carolina on August 11. DaQuan Marcato Jones, 32, fatally shot Kiera Massenburg, 27, and her 6-year-old daughter, Zoey Jones, in a violent incident that also left two other people injured, according to WRAL.
The shocking incident occurred in Sharpsburg, North Carolina, where Jones opened fire before fleeing the scene with Massenburg and Zoey in the car. WNCN Jones then reportedly drove to a home in Nash County, where he left a critically injured Zoey before driving away. Zoey was rushed to the hospital, but despite efforts to save her, she died from her injuries the following night.
The other two victims of the shooting include one who remains in critical condition, while the other has been released from the hospital. Authorities were alerted to Jones’ location when they found his vehicle parked in the driveway of a home on Jamie Road in Battleboro, North Carolina. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) reported the shooting on Monday. Facebook that officers discovered Massenburg’s lifeless body in the back seat of the vehicle.
“As units approached the residence, they heard a gunshot coming from inside the residence. At that time, units surrounded the residence. A male subject then exited the side door of the residence and advised us that the suspect had shot himself,” the NCSO news release states. Inside the home, authorities found Jones dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a bedroom. The residence was reportedly owned by Jones.
Records obtained by WNCN revealed that Jones had been released from the Edgecombe County Detention Center just one day before the tragic incident. He had been jailed after being charged with assault with serious bodily injury in a July 2024 incident in which he allegedly punched Massenburg, causing serious injuries including a broken nose and knocked out teeth. Massenburg and Jones had been in a dating relationship, according to authorities.
TO GoFundMe Page The page, set up to help cover Massenburg and Zoey’s funeral expenses, described Kiera as “a devoted mother, a beloved friend, and a pillar of strength to all who knew her.” The page continued: “Her daughter, Zoey, was a bright, innocent soul who brought joy and love to the lives of everyone she met. The bond they shared was unbreakable and their loss leaves an irreplaceable void in the hearts of those who loved them.” The tragic loss of Kiera and Zoey has left their community heartbroken as they deal with the devastating impact of this senseless violence.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit lalineadirecta.orgAll calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages.