“My heart is broken into two zillion pieces and will never be whole again,” a grieving daughter lamentedBefore sunrise on New Year’s Eve, flashing blue lights and crime scene tape turned a normally quiet Pitt County street into the focus of a police investigation.Deputies gathered around a home on Deborah Court as news spread that two people were found dead inside. This led to hours of uncertainty about what happened and who was involved.A police car with flashing blue lights is parked as authorities gathered in the background. | Source: Getty ImagesA police car with flashing blue lights is parked as authorities gathered in the background. | Source: Getty ImagesBy midmorning, officials said the deaths were being investigated as a double homicide,

but they shared few details at first. Neighbors watched as investigators came and went, and Sheriff Paula Dance arrived, underscoring the seriousness of the case.Later, what authorities revealed shocked many, not just because of who was killed, but also because of the home’s history.What Deputies FoundThe Pitt County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the Deborah Court home around 9:24 a.m. on December 31, 2025, after a family member called 911. The person had reportedly been at the house earlier, left to go to a store, and came back to find the victims.nvestigators soon identified the victims as Rayfield Ruffin, 73, and his wife, France Ruffin, 67. Both were declared dead at the scene. Sheriff Paula Dance said the couple had both blunt force injuries and knife wounds, and deputies quickly made an arrest.After learning how serious the injuries were, investigators quickly focused on a suspect who was close to the victims.