Highway patrol trooper accused of killing deputy in love triangle with woman they both dated

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (Gray News) - A highway patrol trooper in North Carolina is accused of killing a deputy as part of a years-long love triangle with a woman both men had dated, according to authorities.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol Sgt. Nekime Matu Oxendine, 44, was indicted for first-degree murder in the death of Cumberland County Sheriff’s Capt. Adam Bean.

The shooting happened shortly before 11 p.m. March 27 outside the woman’s home. Police arrived to find the woman performing CPR on Bean, who was shot, according to a search warrant.

Paramedics pronounced Bean dead at the scene. Oxendine remained at the scene, and cops recovered the gun used in the shooting.

The woman involved in the case told police that she had been in long-term relationships with both men. First, she dated Oxendine before she left him for Bean. She lived with Bean until she broke the relationship off in December 2025 and went back to Oxendine.

On the night of March 27, Bean planned to meet her at his home to talk, but she changed her mind.

Bean ultimately went to her house, where he saw Oxendine’s truck parked outside. When she met him outside, “Bean appeared irate and questioned why Oxendine’s vehicle was located at her home,” the search warrant said.

Oxendine went outside, and “Bean allegedly exited his vehicle and moved aggressively toward Oxendine.”

“According to the woman, Oxendine fired what she believed were two warning gunshots into the ground; however, Bean continued advancing toward Oxendine.”

The woman said she allegedly heard two or three additional gunshots, followed by Bean taking several steps backward and collapsing onto his back in the yard.

While reviewing the extracted data from her phone, authorities revealed numerous text message exchanges between the woman and Bean dating from approximately 2022 through 2025.

Those communications included discussions regarding Oxendine contacting her family members, contacting Bean’s former wife, and disclosing where she and Bean were living.

It also included discussing her and Bean with other individuals, including coworkers, and engaging in conduct Bean characterized as “stalking” and “running his mouth.”

In addition to the text message exchanges, authorities saw a deleted image that was created on March 27, the day of the shooting. The image was a screenshot of a text message from Bean that appeared to have been deleted from the message thread exchanged between the woman in the hours before his death.

When interviewed by investigators, she acknowledged she would delete text messages she received from Bean to avoid potential conflict with Oxendine.

Bean became a Cumberland County deputy in 2006 and was the assistant chief of detectives when he was killed.

Oxendine joined the Highway Patrol in April 2008, the Patrol said. He was promoted to sergeant in 2023.

Oxendine is being held without bond following a first appearance.

The penalty for first-degree murder in North Carolina is life in prison without parole or death.