Retired state trooper dies in Robeson County

The fire was reported around 1 a.m., and when firefighters arrived, smoke and flames were shooting from almost every part of the home. Inside, firefighters discovered Chavis’s body.

“He was always jolly, always had something to say,” said Locklear. “He never had anything bad to say about you.”

Folks who knew him said Chavis' life was centered on the Highway Patrol. Some said it also got the best of him.

“How he used to run up and down the road as a state patrolman,” Locklear said. “And after he got in that, run up on that wreck. His nerves just fell apart on him.”

The house smoldered most of the morning. Chavis had a daughter and two sons, one of whom is also a State Trooper.

While it is still too early to determine how this fire started. Chavis’s body has been sent to the state medical examiner’s office to determine the actual cause of death. The family is in the process of making funeral arrangements.