The quiet stillness of a Saturday afternoon in Johnston County was shattered on March 22, 2025, when a couple was found dead in their home on Chaney Drive near Cornwallis Road in Garner. The tragic discovery, described by authorities as an apparent murder-suicide, has left neighbors, friends, and the broader community grappling with grief and unanswered questions. The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, tasked with piecing together the events that unfolded, confirmed that the two individuals—a man and a woman—were found with gunshot wounds after a distressing sequence of events prompted a swift law enforcement response.

The incident began with a 911 call from the residence, though the initial contact was fleeting. Dispatchers reported that the caller abruptly hung up, leaving no immediate explanation. Concerned, they promptly returned the call, reaching a man who answered and insisted he had not dialed for help. Yet, in the background, the faint but unmistakable voice of a woman could be heard, pleading for assistance. That chilling detail spurred authorities into action, though the exact nature of the emergency remained unclear until they arrived at the scene.

First responders approached the home with caution, their senses heightened by the unusual circumstances. As they neared the residence, the sound of gunshots pierced the air, a harrowing confirmation that something had gone terribly wrong inside. With time of the essence, deputies secured warrants to enter the property, unwilling to delay in the face of potential danger. Inside, they encountered a grim tableau: the couple, lifeless, their deaths marked by the violence of gunfire. The Sheriff’s Office has not yet released an official determination of the sequence of events, but preliminary findings suggest one individual may have shot the other before turning the weapon on themselves.

Friends of the couple have identified them as Chris Pugh, a well-known general contractor and developer in Garner through his business, Pugh Builders, and his wife, Teresa Rene Adams. Pugh’s reputation in the community was built on years of hard work, transforming local landscapes with his construction projects, while Adams was known to many as a warm and supportive presence. Their deaths have sent shockwaves through Garner, a tight-knit town where such incidents are rare and deeply felt. Neighbors described the couple as private but cordial, leaving many to wonder what unseen struggles might have led to this devastating outcome.

The Sheriff’s Office has assured the public that there is no ongoing threat, emphasizing that the incident appears isolated to the home on Chaney Drive. Investigators are now working diligently to reconstruct the moments leading up to the tragedy, combing through evidence and witness accounts to provide clarity. While the official identities of the deceased have not been confirmed by authorities pending notification of next of kin, the names shared by friends have begun to circulate widely, fueling conversations about the fragility of life and the hidden pressures that can surface without warning.

This is not the first time Johnston County has faced such a loss. In January 2024, another murder-suicide claimed the lives of Ma Teresa Meraz-Cruz and her boyfriend, Miguel Angel Ventura, in Benson, a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of domestic incidents. Statewide, statistics paint a sobering picture: in 2023 alone, 68 people were killed in domestic violence incidents across North Carolina, with 27 of those deaths occurring in murder-suicides. These numbers underscore the urgency of recognizing and addressing the signs of distress before they escalate to irreversible acts.

As the investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of two lives once intertwined with its fabric. For now, Chaney Drive stands as a somber marker of a day that began like any other but ended in tragedy, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow and a call for greater awareness of the struggles that may lie beneath the surface. The Sheriff’s Office has promised updates as more information becomes available, but for many in Garner, the answers—when they come—may offer little solace in the face of such profound loss.