FAIRVIEW, N.C. — A 16-year-old girl and a man were charged with three counts of first-degree murder after investigators found three family members shot to death inside a Fairview home and tracked the suspects to Tennessee, authorities said.

Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered the victims Thursday evening during a welfare check at a home on Ashworth Drive. Inside, deputies found 41-year-old Travis Eugene Grant, 42-year-old Kimberly Michelle Grant and 66-year-old Sharon Harwood Grant dead from gunshot wounds, according to the sheriff’s office.

Investigators later identified 16-year-old Star Grant as missing from the residence and developed information indicating she may have fled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee with Devan Oneal Loving.

By Friday morning, law enforcement agencies located both suspects in Gatlinburg following a multi-state search involving the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Gatlinburg Police Department.

Multi-State Search Led Detectives to Tennessee

Authorities said deputies first responded around 7:15 p.m. Thursday to conduct a welfare check at 18 Ashworth Drive in Fairview, a community east of Asheville.

The grim discovery immediately launched a homicide investigation that quickly expanded beyond North Carolina after detectives learned Star Grant was no longer at the home.

Investigators tracked the pair to Gatlinburg and located them shortly after 6 a.m. Friday, according to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives traveled to Tennessee to interview both suspects. Information gathered during those interviews led investigators to charge Star Grant and Loving with three counts each of first-degree murder and one count each of felony conspiracy to commit murder.

Authorities said Star Grant will be charged as an adult.

Key Points

• Three people were found shot to death inside a Fairview, North Carolina home Thursday night
• Investigators charged 16-year-old Star Grant and Devan Oneal Loving with triple murder
• Suspects were located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee after a multi-agency search

Sheriff Says Investigators Worked Without Sleep

Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller praised deputies, detectives and crime scene investigators who worked through the night following the killings.

“Most of them have not slept because they have focused on nothing but arriving at this outcome that will hopefully bring closure to those impacted by this tragedy,” Miller said in a statement released Friday.

The sheriff also expressed condolences to the victims’ relatives and loved ones.

Authorities have not released additional details about a possible motive or the relationship between Loving and the victims.

The killings stunned the Fairview community, a largely residential mountain area known for its quiet neighborhoods outside Asheville.

Extradition Proceedings Expected in Tennessee

Both suspects remain in Tennessee and are expected to face extradition hearings before being transported back to Buncombe County to face the charges.

Investigators have not disclosed what evidence connected the pair to the shootings or whether additional arrests are possible.

The case remains under active investigation as detectives continue processing evidence from the home and reviewing the timeline leading up to the deaths.

Anyone with additional information connected to the case is urged to contact the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.