NC man shot his father, sisters before setting blaze and shooting himself, police say

A Caldwell County man shot his father and teenage sisters, before setting their home on fire and shooting himself, officials said.

Lenoir police, in a statement on Thursday, said 29-year-old Ronald James “Jimmy” Ward is the only suspect in the deaths of his 58-year-old father, Ronald Albert Ward, and his sisters Katlyn “Katie” Nichole Ward, 18, and Emily Grace Ward, 15.

Police and firefighters responded to a 911 call from a neighbor to the family’s home in the 1200 block of Laurel Place NW on Wednesday morning.

First responders arrived at the scene and found a large fire within the home, police said. Once the fire was out, police found the family members inside with gunshot wounds. Officers attempted to render medical attention, but the victims had already succumbed to their injuries, police said.

All four lived at the home, according to a public records search by The Charlotte Observer. Lenoir is about 75 miles northwest of Charlotte, just outside Hickory.

Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set with an accelerant, police said Thursday.

Damage at the home may have been caused by “a possible explosion,” police said. Video from Observer news partner WBTV shows white debris strewn across the lawn near a garage-type door.

All four bodies have been transported to the medical examiner’s office to determine a cause of death, according to police.

A local pastor on Wednesday said he’s known the victims for decades.

“They are a good family,” Kenneth Poarch told WBTV.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy for the family of the victims,” police said Thursday. “We ask that your thoughts and prayers be with them.”

State records search shows Ronald Albert Ward was president of Unifour Construction Co. and its predecessor Evans and Ward Construction. Records also show Ward operated the business with his wife, Karen, out of their home. It’s unclear if Unifour was still in business.