BOWDENS, N.C. — Duplin County investigators are looking into the deaths of two retired teachers at their home.

Authorities said a neighbor had not seen 74-year-old Leoman Loftin and his 68-year-old wife, Alma Lucille, around their house recently. When the neighbor went to their house, she found both of them dead.

Jesse Williams, who lives in Bowdens, said she knew the Loftin family growing up. He said when he heard what happened, he wanted to drive out to the old neighborhood and pay his respects.

"(It's) totally unheard of to have anything like this in this community. It's never been before, so we're totally shocked," he said.

WRAL has learned the Loftins had lived in the house for almost two decades. Rona Holland, who lives near the couple's home, said the area is a community where everyone is familiar with one other.

"If they needed help or something, I believe that everybody would have helped," she said. "I feel there was just something, but I can't see anything happening like that. It's just a shocker."

Duplin County Sheriff Blake Wallace is not releasing any information about how the couple died or a possible motive. The sheriff's office is waiting on the medical examiner's report to confirm the cause of the deaths. The report is due back next week.