Delonte Reed, 40, and Eureka McDonald, 46, Found Dead in Apparent Domestic-Violence Murder-Suicide at Hanover Apartments

WILMINGTON, N.C. — The bodies of 40-year-old Delonte Reed and 46-year-old Eureka McDonald were discovered early Tuesday in what authorities are calling a domestic-violence–related murder-suicide inside their apartment at the Hanover Landing Apartments on Wilshire Boulevard.

Police responded to a 911 call just before 11 a.m. after a maintenance worker let someone into the unit — only to find Reed and McDonald dead from apparent gunshot wounds.

A spokesman for Wilmington Police Department (WPD), Greg Willett, confirmed that upon entering the apartment, officers located both victims deceased and that there was no ongoing threat to the public — the incident appears contained to that one unit.

According to initial witness accounts, neighbors reported heated verbal arguments from the couple the evening before — noises described as a “loud fight” around 9 to 10 p.m. Monday — though no gunshots were heard by those nearby.

Reed and McDonald had reportedly just moved into the apartment about a month ago. A colleague of Reed’s told one news outlet the two had only recently married in July, making the tragedy even more abrupt and shocking.

Neighbors expressed disbelief. One called the complex a “quiet neighborhood,” where residents mostly kept to themselves. Many said they had little sense of the turmoil inside the couple’s home.

WPD detectives say the investigation remains ongoing. They’re interviewing neighbors, gathering witness statements and reviewing physical and digital evidence — working to reconstruct the timeline and understand what led to such a tragic end. Officials also used the moment to urge anyone experiencing domestic difficulties to reach out for help, highlighting how early intervention can save lives.