Lyric Woods & Devin Clark, Orange County, North Carolina teens shot dead by 17yr old teenager in mystery murders after they were reported missing over the weekend by their respective families.
A 17-year-old teen has been charged with two counts of first degree murder of two teenagers who went missing over the weekend in Orange County, North Carolina.
Lyric Woods, 14, and Devin Clark, 18, were found dead on a country trail with gunshot injuries after the pair disappeared in mysterious circumstances.
Orange County Sheriff’s Department charged the 17-year-old with their murders, declining to identify the teen.
Woods was reported missing by her stepfather on Saturday morning after they found her empty bed at the home in Efland.
The backdoor of the property was also found unlocked, with the family of the ninth grader at Cedar Ridge High School immediately contacting police.
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‘Gentle giant’ Clark, a talented football player for Eastern Alamance High School, was reported missing on Sunday after his family last saw him on Friday night.
Sheriff Charles Blackwood said: ‘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.
‘We will now work with local, state, and federal authorities to apprehend and present the suspect to the court system.
‘I want to thank the families of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods for trusting us and the investigative process during this excruciatingly painful time.’
Authorities confirmed that the two teenagers’ bodies were discovered with gunshot wounds by two men riding four-wheel ATV’s on Sunday.
The slain teens are understood to have known each other, with both of their families saying that they were both last spotted in a car with an unknown man.
Witnesses claimed to hear at least 10 shots near where the murdered teens’ bodies were found.
‘It just doesn’t make sense’
Speaking to ABC11, David White, who lives nearby, said: ‘I heard close to 10 shots going off like an automatic gun and paused for a little bit, and five more shots went off.
‘I thought, “who’s shooting this late at night?”‘
Both families are pleading with anyone with information to come forwards to help them get ‘justice’ for their children.
Lyric’s grandfater, Stan Dean, has now offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who has information regarding the murders.
Dean told the News & Observer that he had seen Woods in the hours before her death and had taken her for ice cream.
He said: ‘I’m living a nightmare. It just doesn’t make sense. The minutes are too long.
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‘We’re just taking it breath by breath. She trusted everyone.’
Her stepfather Shane Cannada said that she had a shower at around 11pm on Friday night, and he thinks she left by an unlocked door shortly after.
A missing person report stated that Lyric left all of her things in her room apart from her iPad, so he did not think she had run away.
Brady Woods, Lyric’s father, helped in the search after the Sheriff’s Office contacted him.
Authorities managed to track her scent through a trail using a K-9 dog and her pillowcase, close to where four wheelers drove through.
She was then seen by a neighbour in a car at around 3am on Saturday in the same area, with deputies believing that she was given a ride by someone.
North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating the official cause of death and the dynamic between the slain teens.
GoFundMe collections for both teenagers have now raised more than $43,000 for their funerals.
Paying tribute to up and coming star athlete, Devin Clark, his mother Tiffancy Concepion described him as an ‘athletic person, a good person with a good heart.’
Families vow search for justice
The mother said her son had planned to go to college in Virginia to play football.
Devin’s mom has since vowed to attain justice for her slain son, and explore all avenues available to the grieving parent.
Hundreds of people attended a balloon release in memory of Clark, at the site where the teen and Woods were found shot dead, with Devin’s brother saying ‘we won’t stop until we find justice for who killed my brother.’
His family were furious that law enforcement did not issue an Amber Alert when the high school football player was first reported missing.
Concepion also claims that she had to identify her son by his clothes, and was not allowed to see his body.
She thinks the sheriff’s office should have been more aggressive and sent out an Amber Alert when the friends first vanished.
But Orange County Sheriff’s Office said that Amber Alerts are not issued for those who are 18 years old.
Sheriff Blackwood said in a statement: ‘The process is important and critical to lead us to the person or persons responsible for this horrific crime.
‘I’m asking for your patience as we, along with other investigative agencies, do the work necessary to seek justice for the victims and their families.’
Alamance County Sheriff’s Office and the Mebane Police Department are handling Clark’s investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to speak to investigator Keith Goodwin at 919-245-2918.
