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Nine teens arrested in connection with 'love triangle' murder of boy, 16
A 16-year-old boy was lured to his death following an argument 'over a girl,' in what authorities are calling a calculated and deadly plot.
South Carolina teenager Trey Dean Wright was found shot to death on June 24.
Nine teenagers, including the victim's girlfriend have been arrested following the savage attack.
Deputies discovered Wright lying in the middle of First Neck Road near Johnsonville - about 45 miles from Myrtle Beach, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds Fox New reports.
The teen later died at the hospital and in a chilling twist, authorities revealed the murder was caught on video.
'This was an altercation between two people,' Sheriff TJ Joye said, as reported by WBTW News.
'It's not like I'm just going to go to Johnsonville and shoot somebody,' he added. 'They had issues with each other and it was over a female.'
Just one day after the shooting, Devan Scott Raper, 19, was taken into custody by the Florence County Sheriff's Office, accused of firing the fatal shots after an argument turned deadly.
'The sad thing is, you got a 16-year-old that lost his life,' Joye added. 'You've got a 19-year-old who is going to be in jail the rest of his life. Over what?'
Raper, from Conway, was booked into the Florence County Detention Center following his arrest on charges of murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He remains behind bars as a judge denied his bond.
But in a haunting turn of events, the initial arrest quickly expanded into eight more over the following weeks - including Wright's own girlfriend - all accused of being part of a deadly setup.
Gianna Kistenmacher, the victim's 17-year-old girlfriend, was the second to be arrested - shockingly taken into custody on June 30 for what authorities described as significant involvement in the case.
According to the sheriff's office, Kistenmacher, of Myrtle Beach, brought her boyfriend to meet with Raper - knowing he was armed and likely to kill Wright.
She was arrested and charged with accessory before the fact to a felony, but has since been granted bond and subsequently released to home confinement.
On Tuesday, a staggering three more teens from Myrtle Beach were charged in connection with Wright's heinous murder.
Among those charged in connection with the killing are Hunter Kendall, 18, Sydney Kearns, 17, and Corrinne Belviso, 18 - though their alleged roles in the disturbing scheme remain unclear.
Maj. Michael Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff's Office told WBTW-TV that the additional arrests involved individuals 'complicit in bringing the armed codefendant, Raper, to the incident location and knowing that there would be a confrontation'.
'They knew that Raper had presented a firearm to the victim and made threats to shoot him, according to the arrest warrants,' Nunn added.
Nunn also confirmed that all five suspects accused of murder are being charged as adults under South Carolina law, according to The Post and Courier.
Similar to Raper, Kendall remains in custody without bond, while Belviso and Kearns each posted their $20,000 bonds last week and are now awaiting trial, Fox News reported.
Four additional teens were taken into custody for involvement in the deadly romantic rivalry, but authorities have not released their identities or any further information, as they are minors.
According to Nunn, one of the nine teens was behind the recording of the incident, according to WBTW.
'A lot of times the, people involved record the event, so that takes a lot of the guesswork out of it,' Nunn told the outlet.
'Well, it's kind of hard to deny what we see with our, with our eyes, and what's posted on social media, audio, video, those types of things,' he added.
Nunn said one final suspect is still expected to turn themselves in, adding that the decision to charge so many teens with murder was made carefully and in close consultation with prosecutors, according to WBTW.
'All this court hearing and bond court and stuff is driving me crazy,' Ashley Lindsey, Wright's mother, told Fox News Digital.
'I don't even have time to sit down and think half the time, on top of losing my precious baby.'
Nunn said the case stands out as rare and highly unusual, according to Post and Courier.
'Every case is different,' Nunn told the outlet. 'I can't say that I've ever seen one identical to this. This case would be unusual anywhere.'
Raper's next court appearance is scheduled for August 19, while Kendall and Belviso are set to appear in Florence County Circuit Court on September 17.
