A 17-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder in the brutal killings of two North Carolina teenagers, whose bodies were found with numerous bullet wounds.
Lyric Woods, 14, and her friend Devin Clark, 18, were separately reported missing by their families over the weekend, the New York Post reported. Their bodies were found earlier this week near a power-line easement.
“Through the hard work of my investigators, along with the assistance of personnel from many other law enforcement agencies, we have identified a suspect in this case,” Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said in a statement posted to Facebook. “We will now work with local, state, and federal authorities to apprehend and present the suspect to the court system.”
Due to a law that went in effect on December 1, 2019, 16- and 17-year-olds who commit crimes in North Carolina are not automatically charged as an adult, but can be tried in the adult criminal justice for particularly abhorrent crimes, like first-degree murder.
Woods was a freshman at Cedar Ridge High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina. She was reported missing by her stepfather on Saturday afternoon, the Post reported, after he realized she wasn’t in her room. Police used a K-9 unit to track the teenager’s scent through the woods near her house. A neighbor also told police they saw Woods get into a car around 3 a.m. on Saturday.
Woods played on the school’s travel volleyball team and teammates dedicated Tuesday night’s game to her.
“We will miss her bright smile and enthusiasm for the game. Our AIM VB family is truly saddened by this tragic situation,” AIM Volleyball Club Director Nancy Cates told WTVD.
Clark was a senior and football player at Eastern Alamance High School in Mebane, North Carolina. His family reported him missing on Sunday, just hours before his body was found along with Woods. Clark’s mother told WTVD that a memorial was planned for the teenager on Thursday.
Someone who lives near where the bodies were found allegedly told police they heard at least 15 gunshots the night of the murders, the Post reported.
“I want to thank the families of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods for trusting us and the investigative process during this excruciatingly painful time. I hope the imminent apprehension of this subject will bring them some comfort as they mourn their loved ones,” Sheriff Blackwood said in a statement.