North Carolina authorities have arrested a Greenville-based real estate agent while investigating a triple homicide and four different crime scenes.
David Hansen Lever, 55, is charged with three counts of murder in connection to the homicides, according to the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office. Police arrested Lever after the son of two of the victims held him at gunpoint.
The investigation began on Jan. 10 when detectives located the three homicide victims with gunshot wounds.
“As a result of interviews and evidence collected at each scene, the preliminary investigation reveals the incidents are related, however, this is an active investigation,” the sheriff’s office said in a Saturday press release.
The three victims included a married couple, Tony Gribble, 80, and Paula Gribble, 76, as well as 64-year-old Enrique Reyes. Authorities said Monday that Lever’s connection to Reyes is unclear, but the Gribbles used Lever as their relator when they purchased their home in 2014, according to WITN.
“Tonight was supposed to be Sunday dinner, but it’s not,” their son, TD Gribble, told WCTI.
Sheriff Paula Dance said during a Monday press conference that had the Gribbles’ son not held Lever at gunpoint, he may have killed more victims, according to WITN.
Dance also said authorities found more than 50 weapons inside Lever’s home. They also found firearms and ammunition in his van, WITN reported.
Lever appeared in court on Monday and called District Court Judge Daniel Entzminger a “mother——,” according to the outlet.
TD Gribble described his parents as faithful and loving in his interview with WCTI.
“My dad was a recon Marine: two and a half tours in Vietnam, five Purple Hearts, Bronze Star Combat V. My mom was a nurse educator at Coastal for 39 years with the state,” TD told the outlet.
Lever was apparently a partner at Lever & Russel Real Estate LLC in Greenville, according to the company’s website, which lists him as a broker and agent. County estate records show the company owned multiple properties.
