Marie Locklear should have been making her way home, perhaps thinking about dinner or a phone call with a grandchild. Instead, what began as what her loved ones hoped would be a calm Saturday in Robeson County turned into a nightmare from which her family will never fully wake.
Late Saturday afternoon, Emergency Medical Services were called to a home on Chavis Road in the Maxton area for what responders believed was a medical emergency. Inside the ambulance was 36-year-old Cheyenne D. Woods of Red Springs, being transported to a hospital when everything went horribly wrong. According to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, Woods suddenly pulled a firearm on the two EMS workers inside the vehicle, forcing them out and taking control of the ambulance at gunpoint. He drove off in the stolen vehicle, leaving the medical crew shaken and the community shocked.
Minutes later, that stolen EMS vehicle collided with another car at a crossroads near Union Chapel Road and Denium Road, not far from Lumberton and Pembroke. The driver of that car was 74-year-old Marie Locklear of Red Springs, known in her community as a warm grandmother, devoted mother, and lifelong friend. Investigators said Woods exited the ambulance after the crash and shot Locklear at the scene. Emergency crews rushed her to a nearby hospital, but she did not survive her injuries.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins described the scene as “deeply disturbing,” emphasizing the senselessness of the violence and the shock reverberating through Robeson County. Officials announced that Woods was arrested nearby and charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, felony assault on EMS personnel, and multiple counts of discharging a firearm into occupied property. He’s being held without bond in the Robeson County Detention Center as the investigation continues.
Friends and neighbors who knew Marie remember her not as a crime statistic but as someone who filled rooms with laughter and who always had time to listen. She was part of family traditions, church gatherings, and neighborhood potlucks — the kind of woman people leaned on for quiet counsel and steady support. Losing her in such a violent and unexpected way has left relatives grappling with grief that feels impossible to put into words. Local residents laid flowers and candles at makeshift memorials near the crash site on Sunday, a testament to a community trying to make sense of sudden loss.
Law enforcement stressed that this tragedy highlights broader concerns about violent offenders and public safety, noting Woods had prior convictions and that failures in the system may have contributed to the opportunity for this crime. Sheriff Wilkins urged anyone with information to contact investigators as authorities piece together the moments leading up to the fatal shooting.
Daylight in Robeson County now carries a different weight. Conversations once centered on everyday life now circle around the fragility of safety and the impact of violence on ordinary people like Marie. Her family has asked for privacy while they mourn, and friends have organized prayer gatherings and support for those closest to her.
As the investigation unfolds, people who knew Marie are left holding memories — of birthday hugs, Sunday dinners, and the simple joy of her presence. In small towns and big cities alike, stories like hers remind us how fragile life can be and how deeply one life can influence many.
