A North Carolina state trooper has been indicted on first-degree murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a Cumberland County Sheriff's Office captain. Sgt. Nekime Oxendine was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday for the death of Capt. Adam Bean, who was shot outside a home in Hope Mills on March 27.
Bean, 42, who had served with the sheriff's department for nearly two decades, was allegedly shot by Oxendine in the front yard of a woman with whom both officers had been romantically involved. The woman, who is an employee of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, was not named in reports as she is considered a domestic violence victim. Responding deputies found her attempting CPR on Bean, but he later died from his injuries.
Search warrants obtained by news outlets reveal that text messages between the woman and Oxendine from 2022 and 2023 indicate Oxendine repeatedly questioned and accused her of having an affair with Bean. In one text from July 2022, Oxendine allegedly wrote to the woman, "I see u have been talking to Adam!!! Best Wishes!!! Better tell that [expletive] to get ready too!!!"
The woman reportedly dated Oxendine before entering a long-term relationship with Bean, with whom she lived until December 2025, three months prior to the shooting.
Text messages also indicated that the woman and Oxendine reconciled in February and March of the current year. During this period, Oxendine allegedly asked the woman if Bean was more attractive than he was and accused him of still possessing the "key" to her heart. Despite the woman expressing a desire to build a future with Oxendine, he continued to question her commitment to their relationship up until a week before the shooting.
According to warrants, Bean asked the woman to meet him at his house after work to discuss their relationship. After initially agreeing, the woman changed her mind and stopped responding. Bean then proceeded to her home, despite her pleas not to come. Upon his arrival, he asked the woman to come outside, threatening to make a scene by blowing his car horn if she did not.
The woman then exited her home, followed by Oxendine. Bean reportedly exited his vehicle and moved aggressively toward Oxendine. Oxendine fired two shots into the ground, but Bean continued to advance. Oxendine then fired multiple shots, striking Bean, who collapsed to the ground.
Oxendine has been placed on administrative leave and is being held without bail. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol acknowledged the ongoing criminal investigation and stated it is conducting a separate internal investigation. The patrol stated that Oxendine remains on administrative duty pending the outcome of the internal review. His next court date is scheduled for November.