Editor’s Note: The Orange County Sheriff’s Office issued a release on Monday, September 26, saying state law prevents any release of records or files in the investigation until the case is relayed to superior court.

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood shared a comment, saying while he recognizes the public’s desire for information related to the case, “We cannot afford a misstep this close to the goal line.”

Below is the original story from Tuesday, September 20.

Investigators with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office are seeking a juvenile petition against a suspect in the alleged murder of two teenagers over the weekend.

A release from the office Tuesday afternoon said a 17-year-old is being sought for two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 14-year-old Lyric Woods and 18-year-old Devin Clark. The sheriff’s office said the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention officially filed its petition to detain the individual Tuesday afternoon.

A state law passed in 2019 makes it so 16- and 17-year-olds in North Carolina who commit crimes are not automatically charged as adults in the criminal justice system — which limits how much public information can be shared about the suspect’s identity.

“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,” said Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood. “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,” Blackwood added. “I hope the imminent apprehension of this subject will bring them some comfort as they mourn their loved ones.”

Woods, an Efland resident, was reported missing by her family on Saturday after last being seen late Friday night. A missing persons report filed with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said she likely left her home overnight and potentially got into a vehicle. Clark, a Mebane and Alamance County resident, was friends with Woods. His father reported him missing to Mebane Police on Sunday morning.

Hours later, men riding four-wheelers on a trail near Buckhorn Road found a pair of bodies in a power line easement. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said on Monday that while the medical examiner had yet to officially confirm the identities, investigators were confident it was Woods and Clark. Later updates in the investigation revealed the pair suffered gunshot wounds.

While the updated state law does not automatically try 16- and 17-year-olds as adults, they can be if there’s a notice of indictment or the court finds probable cause for a Class A through Class G felony. First-degree murder is a Class A felony, which indicates a district court judge will likely transfer the case to superior court if there is probable cause. At that time, law enforcement will be legally allowed to release any records or files pertaining to the case — but the juvenile also has a ten-day period to appeal the referral to superior court, which would stop any release of such information.

Blackwood credited many other law enforcement and emergency service agencies in addition to his Orange County deputies in the release for their work on the case so far.

“I am eternally grateful for the relationships we have with local, state, and federal partners,” he said. “I would like to specifically thank the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, the Burlington Police Department, the Efland Fire Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Viper Unit with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol for their instrumental assistance.”

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday update its homicide investigation is still active. Anyone with information on Woods and Clark’s whereabouts after Friday night is encouraged to contact Investigator Keith Goodwin at 919-245-2918.

 

Photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

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