The man accused of murdering his wife at a Smithfield manufacturing plant confessed to the crime, according to Johnston County prosecutors.
Jesus Bermudez appeared in court Friday afternoon. Prosecutors said based on the evidence they have, they believe he confessed to the murder.
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The shooting happened at the AAF Flanders Plant on Wal Pat Road Thursday morning around 5 a.m.
His wife, Lorena Capera Paz, 45, was found in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. AAF confirmed that Paz was an employee at the company.
Bermudez was identified as a suspect by witnesses at the scene. Investigators later learned that Bermudez and Paz were husband and wife. The two have a teenage son, according to prosecutors.
Bermudez was taken into custody at his home on Galilee Road hours after he left the shooting scene, according to prosecutors. He is charged with first-degree murder.
"We have activated our emergency response protocols and are providing support resources, including counseling services, to employees affected by this tragic event," AAF Chief Operating Officer Paul Sennett said in a statement.
Prosecutors said Bermudez purchased a firearm just days before his wife's death. Through an interpreter, Bermudez told a judge on Friday that he had turned himself and the gun in after the shooting.
A translated version of an online fundraiser for Paz says the shooting may have stemmed from an argument between her and Bermudez.
Police believe the shooting was an isolated incident. A motive for the shooting was not revealed in court on Friday.
"With heavy hearts, we deeply mourn the events affecting all the families involved; there is suffering on both sides—the pain of losing a loved one and the pain regarding the person who committed the act," a translation of the fundraiser reads.
Bermudez is due back in court July 16.