Father of Franklinton homicide victim wants death penalty for the suspect, more mental health oversight

William Hulme and Matthew Johnson were a happy couple, sharing their love for each other and their community together for about five years.

In April, Franklinton police say the two were shot to death by their roommate Christian Webster. Now, William Hulme’s father Tom Hulme is calling for justice for his son and his partner.

“There is no book telling parents what to do when their children are brutally murdered,” Hulme told WRAL News.

Hulme said Webster moved in with Johnson and Hulme in September. In the meantime, he said Webster was trying to get back on his feet. Hulme said he met Webster multiple times, as William Hulme would often bring both him and Johnson during visits with his parents.

“When Will and Matt first indicated they were going to have someone move in with them, the first thing that came out of my mouth, was 'How well do you know this person?' They said 2-2.5 years through a circle of friends. I said, 'That still doesn't amount to how well you know a person,” Hulme said. “My wife hugged him, and five weeks ago today, he murdered - he didn't kill; he didn't make them dead - he murdered these two men.”

Around 2 a.m. on April 5 at 24 Pine St., Webster called 911. He told the dispatcher he killed his roommates and left Hulme’s body in the bathtub and Johnson’s body in the basement, according to court documents.

After an hours-long standoff, Webster was taken into custody after he had barricaded himself inside the home. Webster is charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

According to search warrants, investigators seized multiple weapons from the home, including a 12-gauge shotgun and .270-caliber rifle, an axe and a machete and blood-stained clothing.

According to Johnson’s autopsy, he was shot in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with birdshot and shot in the back of the head with a .270-caliber rifle. His cause of death is listed as shotgun and gunshot wounds of the head.

“We got the tragedy of death that didn't have to happen,” Tom Hulme said. “It's beyond heartbreaking.”

Authorities have not released the autopsy results for William Hulme as of Friday evening.

WRAL News also learned Webster is facing a misdemeanor charge for discharging a weapon within city limits. Court documents say that incident happened March 31, not even a week before he allegedly killed his roommates.

Court documents say Franklinton police initially responded to a shots-fired call. They arrived at the home to find Webster with a long gun, who ran into the house and barricaded himself inside. He apparently called 911 during that incident, as well, telling the dispatcher he would hurt himself and law enforcement.

After hours of negotiation, he came out of the house unarmed. He was taken into custody for “involuntary commitment.” He was released from Maria Parham Hospital around noon, and all firearms were removed from the house, according to court documents.

“We need to get our arms around mental health care and identification of different levels of mental health and have the proper treatment,” Hulme said. “The system holds a lot of the blame in why this happened here ... we have an issue of mental health and how it's controlled.”

But Hulme said that will not be enough. He said he wants justice for both men who died.

“Justice looks very biblical. An eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, blood for blood. This young fellow deserves the death penalty,” Hulme said, referencing Webster.

Hulme said he is disappointed that the families have not spoken to District Attorney Mike Waters directly about the case.

Waters sent WRAL News this statement:

"This crime was reported on April 5, 2024, and Mr. Hulme was contacted by our office promptly after the first court appearance. Our office was not provided victim contact information prior to the first court date. At that time Mr. Hulme did inform our office that he expected full discovery and the death penalty would be sought.

"While I cannot imagine the grief and anger Mr. Holme is experiencing, our office must proceed professionally and carefully. Our goal is justice. Consequently, our goal is not served by making promises before we have reviewed the evidence or allow evidence to be disclosed that could be harmful to the trial process. Our office will comply with all provisions of the Crime Victim’s Rights Act including contact before court dates, and access to the people handling his son’s case. At the appropriate time, we will share sufficient details with Mr. Hulme so that he can decide whether to support any decision regarding disposition of the case, including whether to seek the death penalty.

"This case is in the very early stages. Once evidence is available to our office it will be reviewed to determine whether seeking the death penalty is appropriate."

The Johnson and Hulme families are looking for a legal team to help represent them and “transform the system.”

Hulme said he is disappointed by the police department’s evidence collection process and how they share information with the families.

Franklinton Police Chief James Davis sent WRAL News this statement:

"The Franklinton Police Department has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation of this case. The Franklinton Police Department has worked alongside the Franklin County Sheriff's Office City County Bureau of Investigations (CCBI), North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the District Attorney's Office on this matter.

"Pursuant to the search warrant all relevant evidence was collected from the crime scene. The Franklinton Police Department continues to extend our deepest condolences to the victims' families, we have maintained an open line of communication with the victims' families throughout the course of the investigation. The defendant, Christian Webster, is not currently a convicted felon. The defendant is currently facing a number of felony charges in connection to this case."

Webster’s next court date is scheduled for July 3 for the discharging weapon charge. His next court date for the murder charges is scheduled for Oct. 23.