GREENVILLE, N.C. – A man arrested in a Greenville quadruple murder was the father of two of the victims, police said.
Dibon Jab Toone, 39, was apprehended near Richmond, Virginia around midnight Tuesday. Police were originally called to the Grovemont Drive home Tuesday, after concerned friends and family members of the victims called police to check on the family.
The Greenville Police Department said Toone is the father of the two youngest children. The children ages were 11, 7 and 6.
The woman killed has been identified as Garlette Howard, 32. The three girls who were killed were identified as Bryana, Myona, and Ayona.
The exact cause of death is to be determined as the murders could have occurred several days earlier, according to officials.
Police say Toone is currently charged with one count of murder but police will be obtaining additional murder charges.
Greenville Police Chief Mark Holtzman spoke at the scene of the crime.
“We’ve had a very tragic homicide take place in our community,” he began. “I know the community is going to have a lot of questions, how did this take place? What was the method? All of those details will eventually be released but at this point they are all part of the homicide investigation that we’re conducting.”
Late Tuesday night, police identified their suspect Toone and said he was driving a silver Chevy Equinox with the license plate EVH7587 with “LabCorp” on both doors.
Toone stole that car from the Greenville company and was not an employee of LabCorp.
Investigators are working to find out more about the suspect and a potential motive, but did confirm it was a domestic crime.
“It could have happened up to a day or more ago… all of those facts are really volatile,” Holtzman said. “Pinpointing a time of death is very difficult in a homicide investigation, especially one that didn’t occur as we were arriving.”
Officers who went to the scene to investigate had found the doors to the home locked. Police had to force entry into the home, where they found the four victims dead.
The Greenville Police Department provided a detailed list of events leading up to the tragic crime.Timeline of events: Aug. 16
7-7:30 p.m.: Greenville Police Department received multiple calls from out-of-state family members of Toone. The family members said Toone made concerning statements about the welfare of his children and their mother
Officers were dispatched to Toone’s home, located at 1101 Grovemont Drive.
8 p.m.: After multiple attempts to make contact with the residents in the home, officers entered the home. Officers found Howard and the three children deceased. Toone is the father of the two youngest victims. It is possible victims were killed several days ahead of discovery.
11 p.m.: U.S. Marshals and other agencies obtained information that Toone was in Richmond, Virginia.
MIDNIGHT: Richmond authorities, including U.S. Marshals Service Task Force and Richmond Police took Toone into custody at the intersection of Lost Avenue and Hopkins Road in Richmond. Toone was driving Howard’s work-issued silver Chevy Equinox at the time of arrest.Past history with family:Aug. 15
Concerned workers contacted the police department after Howard did not show up to work at LabCorp.
Officers attempted to make contact with Howard, but was not successful. Her vehicle was not at the residence at the time and there was no indication that Howard may be in danger.July 22
Officers called residence after Toone attempted to commit suicide.
Toone was transported to Vident Medical Center where he was admitted for a psychiatric evaluation.
There was no indication that he intended to harm anyone but himself.May 2009
Howard reported Toone to the Greenville Police Department after he used her vehicle without her permission. He was charged accordingly.
The Greenville Police Department received no calls for domestic violence leading up to the murders.
Toone’s history consists of unauthorized use of vehicles and larceny charges.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Greenville Police Department at 252-902-2724.
