Kim Grant, Travis Grant, and Sherry Grant Found Dead in Fairview, NC Home During Welfare Check; Missing Teen Found Safe in Gatlinburg, TN.

FAIRVIEW, N.C. – A routine welfare check turned into a heartbreaking death investigation Thursday evening after Buncombe County deputies discovered three family members dead inside a residence on Ashworth Drive in Fairview, North Carolina. The victims have been identified as Kim Grant, Travis Grant, and Sherry Grant. As investigators worked the scene late into the night, a second emergency soon emerged: a 16-year-old girl who lived at the residence was missing and unaccounted for, triggering a multi-state search that ended Friday morning when the teenager was located safe in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in the company of a male.

The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, along with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the Gatlinburg Police Department, are now jointly investigating what led to the deaths of the three Grant family members. Officials have not released the cause of death, a possible motive, or whether any weapons were found at the scene. However, they have emphasized that there is no known threat to the public at this time.

The Welfare Check: A Routine Call Turns Deadly

According to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 7:15 p.m. on May 7 to a residence on Ashworth Drive in Fairview, a small unincorporated community located approximately 10 miles southeast of Asheville in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The request for a welfare check came from a concerned individual—likely a family member, neighbor, or friend—who had been unable to reach the occupants of the home for an extended period.

Welfare checks are among the most common calls that law enforcement officers handle. Typically, they involve knocking on a door, speaking with a resident, and confirming that everyone is safe. Rarely do they result in the discovery of multiple deceased individuals.

But when deputies arrived at the Ashworth Drive residence, there was no answer at the door. Neighbors later told investigators that they had not seen activity at the home for at least 24 hours. Concerned by the silence and perhaps noticing an odor or other signs of distress, deputies made the decision to enter the home.

What they found inside was beyond anything they could have anticipated. Three individuals—later identified as Kim Grant, Travis Grant, and Sherry Grant—were dead. The scene was immediately secured, and detectives with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office were called to the location.

The Victims: Kim Grant, Travis Grant, and Sherry Grant

At this time, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has released limited information about the three victims. Their exact ages and relationships to one another have not been officially disclosed, though the use of the surname “Grant” for all three victims strongly suggests they are family members.

Based on standard naming conventions, Kim Grant could be a male or female (Kim is a unisex name), while Travis Grant is typically male and Sherry Grant is typically female. It is possible that the three victims represent a parental couple and an adult child, or siblings, or another family configuration. Until the sheriff’s office releases additional details, the family tree remains unclear.

Neighbors on Ashworth Drive described the Grant family as quiet and private but not reclusive. “They kept to themselves, but they were never any trouble,” said one neighbor who asked not to be identified. “You’d see them coming and going, maybe wave from the driveway. This is just shocking. Nothing like this ever happens in Fairview.”

The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has not yet released cause-of-death information. That will likely come after autopsies are performed by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh. Autopsy results can take days or even weeks, particularly if toxicology testing is required.

Investigators also have not said whether the deaths are being investigated as homicides, suicides, accidental deaths, or deaths from natural causes. The fact that three people were found dead simultaneously in the same residence, however, suggests that foul play has not been ruled out. The presence of a missing teenager further complicates the picture.

The Missing Teen: A Desperate Search

During the initial investigation Thursday night, authorities made a second, alarming discovery: a 16-year-old girl who lived at the residence was missing and unaccounted for. Her name has not been released by officials, likely because she is a minor and a potential witness or victim in an active investigation.

The sheriff’s office immediately initiated a wider search effort involving multiple agencies. Deputies began canvassing the Fairview area, checking with friends, relatives, and known associates of the teenager. Neighbors were asked to review security camera footage. A regional alert was issued.

The search continued through the night. By Friday morning, the teenager had not yet been found, and concern among investigators and the community was mounting.

Located Safe in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

On the morning of May 8, the teenager was located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee—approximately 90 miles west of Fairview, across the state line in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. Gatlinburg is a popular tourist destination known for its mountain scenery, outlet malls, and family attractions.

According to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the teenager was found in the company of a male. Authorities have not released the male’s identity, age, or relationship to the teenager. It is also unclear whether the male is considered a person of interest, a witness, a suspect, or simply an acquaintance.

Officials confirmed that the teenager was found safe. She has not been reported as injured or in distress, though no further details about her physical or emotional condition have been provided.

Detectives with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office are now in Tennessee as part of the ongoing investigation. They are working alongside the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Gatlinburg Police Department to determine how the teenager ended up in Gatlinburg, who she was with, and whether her departure from Fairview is connected to the deaths of Kim Grant, Travis Grant, and Sherry Grant.

Multi-Agency Investigation

The case is being worked jointly by several law enforcement agencies across two states. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is the lead agency, given that the deaths occurred within its jurisdiction. However, because the missing teenager was found in Tennessee, interstate cooperation is essential.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has deployed special agents to Fairview to assist with forensic analysis, evidence collection, and witness interviews. The SBI is typically called in for complex death investigations, particularly those involving multiple victims or potential foul play.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Gatlinburg Police Department are handling the Tennessee side of the investigation, including securing any evidence related to the teenager’s time in Gatlinburg and interviewing the male she was with.

It remains unclear whether any arrests have been made. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has not announced any charges, nor have they identified any suspects. The male found with the teenager in Gatlinburg has not been publicly named or charged.

Community Reaction: Shock in Fairview

Fairview, North Carolina, is a tight-knit community of approximately 2,500 residents. Located in the mountains just southeast of Asheville, it is the kind of place where neighbors watch out for one another, children play outside, and violent or suspicious deaths are almost unheard of.

The discovery of three bodies on Ashworth Drive has shattered that sense of peace.

“I’ve lived here for 30 years, and nothing like this has ever happened,” said a longtime resident who spoke on condition of anonymity. “You hear about things like this on the news in big cities. Not here. Not in Fairview.”

Another neighbor described seeing a heavy law enforcement presence on Ashworth Drive Thursday night. “There were at least a dozen police cars, crime scene tape everywhere, and detectives walking up and down the street with flashlights. I knew something terrible had happened.”

By Friday morning, the scene on Ashworth Drive had quieted, but the yellow crime scene tape remained. Deputies were still stationed outside the residence, and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office had set up a mobile command post nearby.

No Known Threat to the Public

Officials have emphasized that there is no known threat to the public at this time. That statement—standard in many death investigations—is meant to reassure residents of Fairview and surrounding areas that they are not in danger from an active shooter or random attacker.

However, the statement does not rule out the possibility that the deaths were the result of domestic violence, a murder-suicide, or an incident involving only individuals known to one another. In cases where a suspect is believed to be deceased or in custody, law enforcement will often state that there is no ongoing public threat.

The fact that the missing teenager was found safe and in the company of a male raises as many questions as it answers. Was she a witness to the deaths? Did she flee out of fear? Was she taken against her will, or did she leave voluntarily? Investigators have not addressed any of these questions publicly.

The Investigative Path Forward

The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has released few details about the condition of the bodies, the state of the home, or any evidence found at the scene. That is typical in active death investigations, as premature release of information can compromise the case.

In the coming days and weeks, investigators will focus on several key areas:

1. Autopsies and cause of death – The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine how Kim Grant, Travis Grant, and Sherry Grant died. The results will shape the entire direction of the investigation.
2. Forensic evidence from the home – Crime scene investigators will analyze DNA, fingerprints, fibers, and any weapons or tools found inside the Ashworth Drive residence.
3. The teenager’s account – Detectives in Tennessee will interview the 16-year-old girl extensively. Her account of what happened before she left Fairview, how she got to Gatlinburg, and who she was with could be critical.
4. The male companion – The identity and background of the male found with the teenager in Gatlinburg will be thoroughly investigated, including any criminal history, relationship to the Grant family, and possible role in the deaths.
5. Digital evidence – Investigators will examine cell phone records, social media activity, and text messages involving the victims and the teenager.

What’s Next?

The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has promised to release additional information as it becomes available. “We know there are a lot of questions, and we will provide additional information as we are able,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

A press conference may be held once autopsies are complete and investigators have had the opportunity to interview the teenager and her male companion.

In the meantime, the Fairview community is left to grieve three lost lives while hoping for answers that may be slow to come. A small memorial had begun to form near the entrance to Ashworth Drive by Friday afternoon, with flowers and a handwritten note that read: “Gone but not forgotten. Rest in peace, Kim, Travis, and Sherry.”

How to Help

Anyone with information about the deaths of Kim Grant, Travis Grant, and Sherry Grant, or about the disappearance and discovery of the 16-year-old girl, is urged to contact the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office at (828) 250-6670. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Buncombe County Crime Stoppers at (828) 255-5050.

For those in the Fairview community seeking grief support, the Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services has established a crisis counseling hotline at (828) 250-5800.