LUMBERTON — The FBI says there is a reward of up to $30,000 for information that helps investigators determine the circumstances that led to the deaths of three women whose badly decomposed bodies were found in Lumberton last year, triggering fear that a serial killer was on the prowl.
The announcement was made during a press conference on Wednesday at the Lumberton Police Department.
Lumberton police have said they are stymied in their investigation as they still don’t know what killed Christina Bennett, 32, Rhonda Jones, 36, and Megan Oxendine, 28.
Bennett, known by her family as Kristin, was found dead inside a house on Peachtree Street on April 18; Jones was found dead outside a house on East Fifth Street on the same day; and Oxendine was found dead near a house on East Eighth on June 3.
“As police chief and as a member of this community, I want to know what happened to Christina, Rhonda and Megan,” Police Chief Mike McNeill said during the press conference. “I also understand there is a lot of uncertainty, concern and even fear right now. Let me reassure you that we are committed to finding out the answers. We hope the people of Lumberton will help us.”
The Lumberton Police Department requested assistance from the FBI in June. The FBI routinely provides help to local law enforcement when the FBI has tools, techniques, or tactics that can benefit their investigations.
“Every part of our work as law enforcement benefits from help we receive from the public,” said John Strong, special agent in charge of the FBI in North Carolina. “We need the community’s assistance, the people’s eyes and ears, information from friends and neighbors. So we ask you to pick up the phone and call us. Tell us what you know, what you heard, and what you saw.”
Investigators are asking anyone who came into contact with the women to come forward in order to assist them in creating a timeline of when and where they were last seen alive. Anyone with information should call FBI Charlotte at 704-672-6100 and press No. 2. The Lumberton Police Department can be reached at 910-671-3845.