FAYETTEVILLE, NC – A Fayetteville couple’s longstanding domestic dispute tragically ended in violence, resulting in a murder charge for 83-year-old Leslie David Brewer Sr., following the shooting death of his wife.
Investigators from the Fayetteville Police Department discovered 83-year-old Betsy Craven Brewer deceased from a gunshot wound at their Pleasant Loop home after responding to emergency calls Wednesday morning. Leslie Brewer was promptly arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder.
According to statements from the police, Brewer disclosed that the couple had been embroiled in a domestic conflict that had escalated over the years. He alleged that his wife had been verbally abusive and admitted to considering the fatal action for several months prior to the incident.
In the aftermath of another argument, Brewer briefly left the residence and then returned to make a distress call to the authorities himself.
During his initial court date on Friday, the presiding assistant district attorney noted Brewer’s cooperativeness with law enforcement, although concerns about his mental fitness were raised. Brewer’s daughter declined to comment regarding the situation.
Leslie Brewer is currently held on a $500,000 bond. He is in custody at the Cumberland County Detention Center, pending his next court appearance on July 31. The local community and Brewer’s family continue grappling with the shocking development as authorities pursue an investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal event.