A grand jury has indicted an 18-year veteran of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the fatal shooting of a Cumberland County sheriff's captain earlier this year.
The suspect, 44-year-old Highway Patrol Sgt. Nekime Matu Oxendine, was formally indicted on Tuesday. Following the return of the indictment, a judge ordered that Oxendine be detained without bond. The defendant is currently being held in custody in neighboring Moore County as the criminal proceedings against him get underway.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on March 27 at a private residence in Hope Mills, North Carolina. On that date, Capt. Adam Bean of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed during an altercation outside the home.
Following the fatal encounter, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation took the lead in conducting a comprehensive independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Agency officials recently confirmed that their investigation has concluded, with the full investigative case file turned over for review and prosecution to a special prosecutor with the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys.
Details regarding the lethal encounter first surfaced publicly through investigative search warrants that were obtained by media outlets in May. According to those court documents, a key witness identified Oxendine as the individual who pulled the trigger and ended the captain's life.
The witness, who is also employed by the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, informed law enforcement investigators that the confrontation began when Capt. Bean arrived at the Hope Mills residence. Upon his arrival, Bean was visibly agitated to discover Oxendine's pickup truck parked outside the property.
According to investigative records detailed in the warrants, the situation escalated rapidly after Bean confronted the presence of the vehicle. Oxendine subsequently stepped out of the residence carrying a firearm in his hand.
Investigators noted that the sergeant initially discharged a single round directly into the ground. However, moments after firing that preliminary shot, Oxendine allegedly directed multiple additional gunshots toward Bean, striking the sheriff's captain repeatedly.
Emergency responders and arriving deputies discovered Capt. Bean lying on his back in the front yard of the property. The female witness was actively attempting life-saving measures and performing CPR on Bean when law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene.
The criminal indictment marks a significant development in a case involving two established law enforcement officers from different North Carolina agencies. Oxendine has served as a member of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol for 18 years, having attained the supervisory rank of sergeant.
In a formal statement released on Wednesday afternoon, the leadership of the State Highway Patrol acknowledged the gravity of the legal developments surrounding one of its veteran supervisors. The agency underscored its commitment to the rule of law while emphasizing the profound weight of the case on the law enforcement community.
"The North Carolina State Highway Patrol understands that Sgt. Nekime M. Oxendine has been criminally charged," the agency stated. "The Patrol respects the integrity of the judicial process and our system of laws that we all hold dear. This is a difficult and tragic event for all involved. While this criminal investigation has moved forward, the Patrol has been conducting a separate internal investigation. That investigation is continuing, and Sgt. Oxendine remains on administrative duty pending the outcome of the internal investigation. The Patrol has no further comment."
While Oxendine remains on administrative duty pending the final determination of the internal patrol inquiry, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office continues to honor the extensive career and memory of Capt. Bean, who served the agency faithfully after joining its ranks in March 2006.
Bean's career contributions were formally recognized at the 2026 VALOR Awards Ceremony, where the late law enforcement leader was posthumously honored with the prestigious Merit Award. The accolade celebrated his sustained dedication, professional initiative, forward-thinking leadership, and structural improvements to the agency.
Sheriff's office officials highlighted that Capt. Bean was instrumental in overhauling the department's compensation framework, spearheading the modern Career Development Step Plan. His strategic work successfully replaced a legacy pay structure that had remained untouched since 1980, significantly improving the sheriff's office's ability to recruit, retain, and support personnel while safeguarding public safety operations throughout Cumberland County.
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