On the morning of January 7, 2023, in High Point (Guilford County), North Carolina, Robert J. Crayton Jr., 45, fatally shot his wife Athalia and three of their children — including 10-year-old Nasir Peter Crayton, a Union Hill Elementary student — before shooting and killing himself in a murder-suicide. Two adult relatives escaped after one removed the magazine from the gun and ran to neighbors for help around 7 a.m. The perpetrator had a documented history of mental illness, prior domestic-related police calls, and an involuntary commitment served the year before. Nasir's death was ruled a homicide by gunshot.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The medical examiner record (NC_23_1553.pdf) lists "Cause of Death: Gun" and the news articles describe the children being "shot to death" with a firearm, and police "working to trace the firearm found at the scene."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
The myfox8 article states Athalia and three children were killed "allegedly by her husband Robert Jeffrey Crayton Jr., who then shot and killed himself," and that "Investigators determined that it was a murder-suicide."
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The qcnews article states Robert J. Crayton, Jr. "shot and killed his wife, Athalia A. Crayton, their 18-year-old son Kasim Crayton, and two younger children, ages 16 and 10." The 10-year-old (Nasir) is referred to as among "his" children sharing the Crayton surname, indicating the perpetrator was the biological father, though the obituary names only the mother.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The qcnews article reports that High Point police received calls to the home dating back to 2014, and "two of these were domestic calls, with fights that did not lead to any arrests," indicating a history of domestic violence in the home.
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
The qcnews article states "Police confirmed that Robert Crayton suffered from some type of mental illness," and myfox8 notes "he had a history of mental health issues and that an involuntary commitment had been served the year before."
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The qcnews article documents prior warning signs and potential systemic gaps: "High Point police received calls to the home as far back as 2014," including two domestic calls, and "In January 2022, they received a medical call and then a request for an involuntary commitment." Myfox8 confirms "an involuntary commitment had been served the year before." The perpetrator's documented mental illness, prior domestic incidents, and involuntary commitment a year before the killings highlight potential failures in mental health intervention and firearm access, as police "cannot say if [the firearm] was obtained legally or not."
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.