In a shocking incident in South Carolina, nine teenagers have been apprehended in connection with a plot to murder a 16-year-old boy. The victim’s girlfriend was also allegedly involved in the scheme, according to law enforcement officials. The victim, identified as Trey Dean Wright, was discovered dead on June 24, with multiple gunshot wounds on First Neck Road in Florence County, about 45 miles west of Myrtle Beach.
Devan Scott Raper, 19, from Conway, is the primary suspect in the case. He is accused of shooting Wright during a dispute over a girl. Raper was arrested the day after the incident by the Florence County Sheriff’s Office. However, investigators believe Raper did not act alone.
In the following weeks, eight other teenagers were arrested for their alleged involvement in the plot. They are accused of setting up Wright and filming his death. Among those arrested was Wright’s 17-year-old girlfriend, Giann Kistenmacher. She is charged with being an accessory before the fact for allegedly bringing Raper, who she knew was armed, to meet Wright and instigate a confrontation.
Other individuals charged in the plot include 18-year-olds Corrine Belviso and Hunter Kendall, and 17-year-old Sydney Kearns. Information about the four remaining individuals charged in the crime has not been released as they are minors.
According to Maj. Michael Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, all the accused were aware that Raper was armed and that a confrontation was likely. They were also aware that Raper had previously threatened to shoot Wright. The motive behind the murder is believed to be a romantic rivalry.
Sheriff T.J. Joye expressed his dismay over the incident, lamenting the loss of a young life and the potential life-long imprisonment of another over a trivial matter. Raper is currently facing charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime and is being held without bond. Kendall is also being held without bond, while Belviso and Kearns have each posted $20,000 bonds and have been released pending trial.