At approximately 2:09 a.m. on January 26, 2026, the Caldwell County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a shooting at 1282 Honeycomb Place in Lenoir.
Deputies with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and emergency responders arrived on scene and located Michael Eugene Watson Jr., age 46, suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite life-saving efforts, Watson was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency medical personnel.
Upon arrival, deputies located Joshua Barrett Lovins, age 46 of Lenoir, in his vehicle in the driveway of another residence on Honeycomb Place. Lovins had been identified by the 911 caller as a person involved in the incident.
Following further investigation, detectives arrested Lovins and charged him with murder. He was transported to the Caldwell County Detention Center, where he was placed under no bond.
The circumstances surrounding this incident remain under investigation.
