Steven Van McHone
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Steven Van McHone (March 23, 1970 – November 11, 2005) was an American convicted murderer executed by the U.S. state of North Carolina. He was convicted of killing his mother, Mildred Johnson Adams, and stepfather, Wesley Dalton Adams Sr., on June 3, 1990, in Surry County, North Carolina.
On the night of June 3, 1990, Steven McHone's stepbrother, Wesley Adams Jr., and his wife, Wendy, were visiting Wesley Adams Sr. and his wife, Mildred. Just after midnight, McHone was heard arguing with the couple by Wesley Jr. and Wendy, who were in bed. Mildred Adams entered their room and asked if they had moved a handgun that was in the house. They replied that they had not, and she left, closing the door. Before Wesley Jr. could get dressed, three shots were heard. Wendy said that she heard the elder Wesley tell her husband to call 9-1-1. Wesley Jr. then saw his father and stepbrother wrestling, with McHone holding a handgun. Wesley Jr. managed to disarm McHone; however, as he returned to the phone, the wrestling resumed, and both men moved out of sight, up a hallway. His father returned about a minute later, saying that his stepmother was "facedown out back." McHone reappeared carrying a shotgun, raising it into a firing position. As his stepfather approached him and attempted to grab the gun, McHone fired, throwing Wesley Sr. with such force that he hit and knocked down Wesley Jr. McHone and Wesley Jr. struggled again, with McHone cursing Wesley Jr. and crying, asking Wesley Jr. to shoot him for what he had done.
When the first response team arrived at the scene, they found Wesley Sr. dead with a large chest wound and Mildred Adams alive but with a gunshot wound to the head. Around 2:00 a.m., a deputy sheriff with the Surry County Sheriff's Department arrived, and McHone was placed into a patrol car. The deputy sheriff testified that although he smelled alcohol on McHone's breath, he did not believe McHone was too intoxicated to not understand his actions and their consequences.