A North Carolina Highway Patrol sergeant has been indicted for first-degree murder in the shooting death of a Cumberland County sheriff’s captain, a case authorities say grew out of a years-long relationship triangle involving a woman both men dated. Sgt. Nekime Matu Oxendine, 44, is accused of killing Capt. Adam Bean outside the woman’s home shortly before 11 p.m. on March 27. He is being held without bond.
According to the woman’s account to police, she dated Oxendine first, left him for Bean, lived with Bean until December 2025, then returned to Oxendine. On the night of the shooting, Bean arrived at her house, saw Oxendine’s truck, and appeared irate. She told investigators Bean moved aggressively toward Oxendine, who fired what she believed were two warning shots into the ground before additional shots struck Bean. Authorities recovered the firearm and found text messages and a deleted screenshot on the woman’s phone.
The case now hinges on a self-defense claim against a first-degree murder charge, which in North Carolina carries life without parole or the death penalty. Both men worked in law enforcement, and the outcome could shape how the public views accountability inside those agencies. The investigation remains active and court proceedings are ongoing.
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