North Carolina Trooper Indicted for First-Degree Murder of Sheriff’s Captain

A trooper with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol has been formally charged with the murder of a county sheriff’s office captain.

Captain Adam Bean of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office was fatally shot at a residence in Hope Mills on March 27. On Tuesday, a grand jury indicted 44-year-old Nekime Matu Oxendine on first-degree murder charges, and a judge subsequently ordered him held without bond.

This incident represents an exceptionally rare occurrence of a law enforcement officer fatally shooting another officer. Research indicates such cases are highly uncommon, typically arising from accidental friendly fire or misidentification rather than deliberate action.

Search warrants secured by North Carolina news station WTVD in May identified Oxendine as a sergeant with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. According to a witness, he was the individual who discharged the firearm.

The witness, an employee of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, informed investigators that Captain Bean returned home and grew agitated upon noticing Oxendine’s truck parked at the residence, according to documents reviewed by the outlet.

Investigators reported that Oxendine emerged from the home armed with a firearm and discharged a round into the ground. Moments afterward, he allegedly opened fire again, striking Bean multiple times.

Bean was discovered lying face-up in the front yard. Upon the arrival of law enforcement, Tara Lynn Whitman—who reportedly had personal relationships with both Bean and Oxendine—was administering CPR to the victim while Oxendine stood nearby. Authorities confirmed that Bean was pronounced dead at the scene.

Court documents from state investigators indicate that the fatal encounter stemmed from years of escalating tension among Bean, Oxendine, and their connections to Whitman. Investigators stated that Oxendine had exhibited persistent jealousy and insecurity regarding Whitman’s relationship with Bean over the years.

Oxendine remains on administrative leave.

Captain Bean had served with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office for two decades. He is survived by his son, parents, and two siblings.

On Wednesday, Bean was posthumously honored with a merit award acknowledging his distinguished service and lasting contributions to the sheriff’s office.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the sheriff’s office stated that Bean’s “efforts helped strengthen the agency’s ability to recruit, retain, and support highly qualified personnel while contributing directly to the continued effectiveness of public safety operations throughout Cumberland”, adding “his legacy continues through the many contributions he made to this agency and the people he served”.

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