Hoke County’s Unspeakable Agony: The Tragedy That Claimed a Grandmother and Her Grandson

The Unimaginable Betrayal: A Family Shattered in Raeford

In what can only be described as a second, shocking wave of tragedy to hit Hoke County, the heart of Raeford, NC, is aching from an incident that defies all understanding. Thursday morning, the life of 68-year-old Connie Linen was tragically and abruptly ended in her own home. The horrific detail that separates this incident from every other is the person charged with this First-Degree Homicide: her own 13-year-old grandson, identified only as J.A. The initial well-being check escalated into a full-blown homicide investigation when Ms. Linen was found unresponsive. This is a profound, searing loss—the violation of trust and the destruction of a bond meant to be sacred. For the Linen family, the grief is compounded by an agonizing question: How could a cherished relationship end in such unimaginable violence? The tragedy casts a long shadow, reminding us of the hidden struggles and silent battles that can tear a family apart at the seams.

A Desperate End: The Pursuit and the Final, Fatal Moment

The heartbreak only deepened as the ensuing manhunt for the teenage suspect came to a dramatic and equally devastating conclusion. After fleeing the Hoke County home in his grandmother’s stolen vehicle, the 13-year-old was located in Lee County. When confronted by deputies, he bolted into a wooded area, leading to a perilous encounter. The scene culminated in a moment of desperate tragedy when, according to reports, the young man charged toward a law enforcement officer while armed with a piece of lumber. In that split second, a deputy fired their weapon, and the life of the 13-year-old grandson was also extinguished. This outcome layers grief upon grief: a young life lost not only through violence but through the ultimate confrontation. The ensuing SBI investigation is mandatory, but no official review can truly capture the pain of a deputy forced to make a life-or-death decision, nor the sheer despair that must have gripped a child in his final moments.

The Urgent Call: Healing a Community Scarred by Loss

This devastating incident—coming on the heels of another recent, high-profile juvenile tragedy in Hoke County—screams a desperate need for communal action and reflection. We are witnessing the fragile balance between the private pain of mental health crises and the public violence they can unleash. The loss of a beloved grandmother and the loss of a 13-year-old child in two separate, violent acts within days is a pain no community should endure. This moment demands more than condolences. It requires a profound commitment to early intervention, dedicated mental health resources for our youth, and the courage to have open, difficult conversations within our homes and schools about anger, pain, and reaching out for help. The Linen family deserves peace, and the Hoke County community deserves to heal. May we honor the memory of all lost by fighting to build a future where no child feels so lost that they would lash out, and no family has to face such a devastating and double tragedy again.