Mother of three found dead in Durham, believed victim of murder-suicide by former partner

Durham police say a man and woman found dead of gunshots early Wednesday were once a couple and shared two children.

Shakeva Dixon, 27, lived in Durham, and Maurice Langston, 36, was from Goldsboro, police said. The pair were found dead inside an apartment off Crest Street in Durham. 

Durham police said the incident appears to be a murder suicide based on the preliminary investigation. 

Dixon's cousin, ShaRena Steeple, said the couple was not married but shared two daughters. Dixon was trying to get out of the relationship, Steeple said.

"She wanted to be a great mother. She dreamed of having a stable family," Steeple said.

She identified the home where the shooting happened as Dixon's, saying she had moved there to get a fresh start. She said Dixon and her two daughters were at home in Durham when Langston arrived.

Dixon had a third daughter whose father was not Langston. Steeple did not want to share the children's names or ages. 

"She just had a genuine, kindred spirit, and she just wanted to see everybody succeed, and she wanted to be a great mother, and she wanted to be there for all three of her girls," Steeple said.

The WRAL Breaking News Tracker was on the scene as forensics investigators took photos and marked evidence. Police tape surrounded an apartment unit at Crestview Apartments. 

Forensics gathered evidence inside the house and took photos outside the entrance. They also took photos of a parked car outside the unit. 

The Durham Police Department said the investigation is ongoing and they were on the scene for more than nine hours.