Cumberland deputies seek clues in Hope Mills woman's death

The body of Edwardyne "Dynee" Williams, 50, was found in some woods off Canady Pond Road on Dec. 11. Authorities haven't released a cause of death but said they are treating it as a homicide.

Williams was last seen on Nov. 27, and her abandoned SUV was found Dec. 4 along Chicken Foot Road, about 2 miles from her home.

Family members said her purse was found hanging on a nearby tree, and her house keys and cellphone were in the vehicle. The ignition key for the SUV was missing, they said.

The sheriff's office set up a mobile command post at a Marathon gas station at the intersection of Canady Pond and Chicken Foot roads, hoping to find someone who might have seen something that could help investigators crack the case.

"We're giving them an opportunity to come down and give us any information that they have," Lt. Bobby Reyes said. "They feel safe in their own territory, in their own environment, so they don't have to come down to the sheriff's office and be seen there."

Investigators said they have already gone door-to-door in the area and planned to knock on more doors Wednesday.

"We've interviewed several people in the neighborhood, in the area, people in other states, family members that have come down for the funeral," Reyes said.

Because investigators haven't disclosed a motive for the slaying or identified any possible suspects, area residents are uneasy.

"I was scared to go out at night by myself. My teenage son refuses to let me even come toward the Gray's Creek area – or my husband," resident Stephany Foster said.

"Not knowing what happened to her or anything like that," resident Pennie Council said, "(I'm) locking my doors, locking my windows and everything."