Sheremy Dillard was remembered as a devoted coach and mentor as her boyfriend faced a first-degree murder charge.
RALEIGH, NC — Neighbors, former players and school colleagues are mourning 57-year-old Sheremy Gwenette Dillard, a longtime girls basketball coach and teacher who was found stabbed to death Thursday inside her Raleigh home.
Dillard’s death has shaken communities across the Triangle where she spent years coaching and teaching. She had most recently worked as a recovery teacher and girls basketball coach at Felton Grove High School in Apex after a long tenure as a teacher and coach at Carrboro High School. Raleigh police said her boyfriend, Rickey Harper, was arrested in Pennsylvania and charged with first-degree murder. The charge is an allegation, and the available reports did not indicate that Harper had entered a plea.
Police found Dillard at about 12:18 p.m. Thursday at her home on Whistling Straits Way after family members said they had not heard from her. Officers said she had multiple stab wounds. Police said Dillard shared the home with Harper, who was not there when officers arrived. Investigators used license plate reader cameras as they searched for him, and authorities in Pennsylvania arrested him Friday afternoon.
Quinetta Nobles, whose backyard connects with Dillard’s property, told WRAL that she was stunned when officers arrived and began putting up crime scene tape. Nobles said she had known Dillard through their neighboring homes and never expected such violence to occur there. She and a former player said they had previously seen Dillard with a man but did not know his name.
Jameeah Purefoy-Thaxton, who played for Dillard and had known her since middle school, said she had spoken with her former coach about two weeks before her death. She described her first reaction as sadness before anger and confusion set in. “Now, I’m more angry and confused, because why her?” Purefoy-Thaxton told WRAL. She said she hoped Dillard’s family would eventually find peace.
Dillard also was remembered by former colleagues as a coach whose influence went beyond basketball. Bob Hill, a former athletic director at Hillside High School in Durham, told WRAL that Dillard had coached girls basketball there and became a mentor to colleagues while building strong connections with students. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools said Dillard treated players, coaches and colleagues like family and was willing to advocate for students and equity.
At Felton Grove High School, Principal Robert Morrison notified families of Dillard’s death and expressed condolences to her relatives and friends. Morrison said the school community would support one another as students and staff processed the loss. Dillard had joined Felton Grove as a teacher and girls basketball coach in August 2025.
Friends and former colleagues also described Dillard as someone who brought energy and encouragement to people around her. Ticca Harris, who knew Dillard through Tau Gamma Delta Sorority, told ABC11 that Dillard supported Harris and her children in their athletic pursuits. Harris said learning about Dillard’s death left her numb and struggling to understand what had happened.
Dillard’s previous school district said her influence remained strong at Carrboro High School. A Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools spokesperson said current students and employees still had close relationships with the former coach. The district planned to provide support and resources as staff returned to work and students prepared for the new school year.
Harper remained accused of first-degree murder in Dillard’s death after his arrest in Pennsylvania. Authorities had not publicly detailed a motive in the reports reviewed, and additional information about his return to North Carolina and subsequent court proceedings had not been confirmed. As the criminal case moves forward, those who knew Dillard are continuing to remember her years of work with students, athletes and fellow educators.
Author note: Last updated August 16, 2026.