Two teenagers have been arrested and a third is being sought for the gunshot murders of three Central Florida youths, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods stated Friday.
Woods stated that investigators believe the victims were involved in burglaries and robberies and that both the victims and the suspects were purportedly members of criminal gangs.
Florida Triple Homicide Evidence Arrests Two Minors
The Florida County Sheriff’s Office has charged Robert Le’Andrew Robinson, 17, and Christopher De’l Atkins, 12, with first-degree murder. The third suspect, sixteen-year-old Tahj Brewton, remains at large.
“There is essentially no honor among criminals,” Woods stated at a press conference.
These three individuals murdered our three victims at some point.
According to Woods, the suspects left a trail of evidence.
“Not only are the victim’s minors but so are the perpetrators,” Woods explained.
Woods stated that the office of the State Attorney for Marion County is evaluating whether the suspects will be prosecuted as adults.
Walter Forgie, principal assistant state attorney for Marion County, stated that the office will “vigorously pursue the prosecution of all defendants responsible for these heinous crimes.”
“We are in constant contact with Sheriff Woods and his detectives regarding this vile crime,” he stated. Due to the fact that a suspect has not yet been apprehended, we are unable to comment publicly at this time.
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Florida Sheriff’s Office Finds Lake-submerged Vehicle with One Victim in the Trunk
Layla Silvernail, age 16, was discovered on the side of a road in the Forest Lakes Park region on March 30. She subsequently succumbed to her critical injuries in a hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.
The following morning, at approximately 8:00 a.m., deputies responded to a second report of a person on the side of a road and discovered a 17-year-old male who had been mortally shot, according to authorities.
Saturday saw the discovery of the third victim’s corpse, per Woods.
The second and third victims remain unidentified.
Investigators believe that the three individuals were in Silvernail’s 2015 Chevrolet Cruze. The vehicle was discovered partially submerged in a lake with a victim still inside, according to Woods. At the press conference, Woods stated that a female victim was discovered in the trunk.
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