Police have ruled the deaths of a husband, wife and two children in south Charlotte a case of murder-suicide.

Authorities identified the victims as Nateesha Ward Chapman, 34, her 1-year-old daughter, Nakyiah Jael Chapman, and a second daughter, Na’Jhae Parker, 13.

Police said the husband, 33-year-old Kenneth Jermaine Chapman, shot himself in the head and died at the scene early Tuesday as police arrived to check on the family.

As of midday, the medical examiner had not determined how – or when – the mother and two children died.

Two other children escaped without physical injury.

Three of the dead were found inside an apartment unit in the 6900 block of Providence Square Drive, just east of Providence Road and south of Fairview Road.

Officers had gone to the unit after a man called 911 around 11:13 p.m. asking police to check on the welfare of his niece, who lived in the apartment with her husband and four children.

When officers arrived, they found the front door open and saw a man standing on the stairs inside the unit. Police said officers called out to the man and quickly heard two gunshots. At that point, police said, two children ran from the apartment unhurt.

Officers entered and found the man, later identified as Kenneth Chapman, suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He died at the scene a short time later.

Police found the two murdered children inside the unit. Police said the children appeared to have been dead several days.

Using information gathered from family members, officers next went to a second apartment nearby in the 5600 block of Via Romano Drive, where they found the body of Nateesha Chapman. Police said that she, too, may have been dead for some time.

Investigators offered no motive for the killings.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
 

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