Authorities in South Carolina have charged nine teenagers in connection with the June killing of 16-year-old Trey Wright, who was allegedly lured to his death by his girlfriend. Investigators say the group of high schoolers drove more than an hour to confront Wright, with one even recording the fatal shooting on video.
Deputies with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office discovered Wright of Johnsonville dead from multiple gunshot wounds about 45 miles west of Myrtle Beach.
According to The US Mirror, Wright’s cheerleader girlfriend, 17-year-old Gianna Kistenmacher, played a central role in the attack. She allegedly arranged for Wright to meet with 19-year-old Devan Raper, who was armed and angry following an earlier dispute.
Prosecutors say Kistenmacher knowingly brought Raper to Wright’s location despite being aware of the firearm and escalating tension. Raper is accused of pulling the trigger and killing Wright during the confrontation.
In the aftermath, Kistenmacher accompanied Wright to the hospital and appeared to comfort his family, who were unaware of her alleged involvement at the time. “I hugged her neck and was comforting her because I didn’t know,” Wright’s mother recalled.
Another of Wright’s teenage friends reportedly accused her of betrayal at the hospital before adults intervened. Kistenmacher was later arrested, initially on charges of accessory before the fact, but investigators upgraded her charges as evidence mounted, per Fox News.
Raper was taken into custody the following day and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Over the next several weeks, the investigation widened, implicating seven additional teens who authorities allege helped facilitate the killing. In total, nine suspects (some over 18 and others charged as adults) now face serious charges related to the crime.
Those identified by officials include Kistenmacher, Raper, Corinne Belviso, 18; Hunter Kendal, 18; Sydney Kearns, 17; Braylyn Thompson, 17; and Jaden Auclaire, 18. Two additional juveniles have been charged but not publicly named.
Maj. Michael Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office said the group knowingly brought Raper to Wright’s location and were aware of the potential for violence.
“They were complicit in bringing the armed codefendant, Raper, to the incident location and knowing that there would be a confrontation,” Nunn told local outlet WBTW. “They knew that Raper had presented a firearm to the victim and made threats to shoot him, according to the arrest warrants.”
The case has drawn widespread attention in the community, both for the age of those involved and for the disturbing level of planning alleged by law enforcement. Officials continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the confrontation, while Wright’s family grieves the loss of a teenager remembered by friends as kind-hearted and full of potential.
The Florence County Sheriff’s Office has not released further details on whether additional arrests are expected.