‘Please speak up:’ Reward increased for information regarding the 2017 deaths of three Lumberton women

LUMBERTON, N.C. (WMBF) - The FBI and Lumberton Police Department are now providing a $40,000 reward for information regarding the 2017 deaths of three Lumberton women.

On April 18, 2017, the bodies of Christina Bennett and Rhonda Jones were found in the area of Peachtree Street and East Fifth Street.

Less than two months later, the body of Megan Oxendine was found only a few blocks away.

Yet, four years later, no arrest has been made regarding their mysterious deaths.

The increased reward has given Rhonda Jones’s mother, Shelia Price, a small piece of happiness during a very tragic time.

“It’s taken four years, but finally someone is going to help us by increasing the reward, so I thank God for that,” Price said.

Just days away from the four-year anniversary of her daughter’s death, Price said she’s heard more good news from investigators.

“She couldn’t go into detail with me and I understand that, but they said they’ve got some new evidence that looks promising and that was enough to make me fight a little bit harder and get a little louder,” Price said.

Price’s fight for answers regarding the deaths of her daughter and Bennett has turned into a community fight for answers.

“When all three deaths came back undetermined, I knew that’s when it was time to do something,” Price said. “So my daughter and I started the group Shattered the Silence, and we try to bring as much attention as we can to unsolved murders in Robeson County.”

The group has brought awareness to her daughter’s death and has brought many people facing similar situations together.

With more people by her side, potential leads as well as the increased reward, Price hopes someone will come forward and provide closure to her and the other families.

“Live my life for one second and imagine someone throwing your daughter in a trash can,” she said. “Please speak up. You can call anonymous, please, you don’t have to let them know who you are but please help us find out what happened.”

Price is hosting a four-year anniversary memorial to honor Oxendine and Bennett this Saturday at Luther Britt Park in Lumberton.

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