Ebony Burnette, 29, of Creedmoor, North Carolina, was found at her Wild Goose Lane home on March 13, 2020, suffering from a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police and emergency medical personnel responded to the residence that day. Her boyfriend, Kyree Thames, and a child were in the home when the shooting occurred. Thames initially told investigators Burnette had accidentally shot herself while handling a handgun.

After a months-long inquiry assisted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Thames was re-interviewed on August 31, 2020, and is reported to have said he accidentally shot Burnette, believing the handgun had been unloaded. A grand jury returned an indictment for involuntary manslaughter against Thames on September 24, 2020; he turned himself in on September 29, 2020, posted a $20,000 secured bond and was scheduled for a first court appearance on December 16, 2020. The Creedmoor Police Chief Keith King credited investigators Lt. Ricky Cates and Detective Eugene Harris for the work that led to the arrest.

Is anyone in the area familiar with Ebony or Athens who can share details about her life or what happened that night?