05/30/2026
May 28, 2026 – Polk County Sheriff’s Office is providing an update to the incident on Sunday May 24, 2026 regarding a structure fire on West Fork Creek Road in Saluda. Two individuals that were pronounced deceased on scene have been identified as Robert Louis Peck, 80 and Wendy Susan Peck, 80 both from Saluda, NC.
Autopsies have been performed and these deaths have been ruled homicides. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and NC SBI are actively investigating this matter. No further details can be released at this time and there will continue to be a large police presence in the area during this investigation.
“Our thoughts are first with the family and neighbors of Mr. & Mrs. Peck. I want our residents to hear directly from me that we have committed significant resources to this investigation, working alongside the Polk County Fire Marshal, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office” said Polk County Sheriff Tim Wright “Our deputies have maintained a continuous presence in the area since Sunday evening, and that presence will remain visible and active in the days ahead. There is no greater priority than the safety of this community. I am asking the public to remain alert and trust your instincts. If you saw something, heard something, or know something, please come forward. A single tip can change the course of a case like this. You can reach our investigators at 828-722-5033. We will not rest until those responsible are brought to justice.”
If any residents have any tips on this crime, please contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 828-722-5033.
# # #
SALUDA, NC - On Sunday, May 24, 2026, at approximately 8:30 p.m., emergency responders were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the West Fork Creek Road area of the Saluda community. Fire, rescue, and EMS personnel responded and contained the blaze. During the subsequent investigation, two individuals were located deceased inside the residence. The identities of the decedents are being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.
The Polk County Fire Marshal’s Office, detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and agents from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) are jointly investigating the cause of the fire and the two deaths. Additional information will be released as the investigation progresses.
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at (828) 894-3001, or, after hours, at (828) 894-0188
