OAK ISLAND, N.C. (WECT) – Kevin Vaughan of Oak Island pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on September 23 in connection with the 2022 death of Tina Carlton. He was sentenced to 16 to 20 years in prison for his crimes.
According to a press release from District Attorney Jon David’s office, Oak Island police discovered Carlton’s body in her home on October 1, 2022, after receiving a 911 call from a woman who reported that Vaughan had admitted to killing his girlfriend.
When officers arrived at Carlton’s residence, they found Vaughan outside, attempting to get into his truck while covered in blood. Upon being instructed to raise his hands, Vaughan acknowledged that Carlton was inside and deceased. Inside the home, officers discovered Carlton lying in a pool of her own blood. She had sustained multiple stab wounds and sharp force injuries, with the fatal wound being a deep cut to her neck. A broken liquor bottle was identified as the weapon used in the attack.
The Oak Island Police Department reported that earlier that evening, Carlton and Vaughan had been drinking at a bar, and a confrontation ensued. A neighbor took Carlton home around midnight, but another altercation later that night tragically led to her death.
