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South Carolina authorities allege a teenage love triangle led to a young man’s death this summer, as nine Myrtle Beach–area teenagers face criminal charges in connection with his killing.

Victim Identified

According to the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, 16-year-old Trey Dean Wright of Johnsonville was the victim. Wright was found in the early morning hours of June 24 with multiple gunshot wounds along First Neck Road, about 45 miles west of Myrtle Beach, and deputies pronounced him dead at the scene.

Authorities arrested 19-year-old Devan Scott Raper of Conway the following day and allege that Raper fired the shots after a dispute with Wright. Authorities say that the fight was the result of tensions “over a girl” and at least one of the other teenagers present allegedly recorded the shooting on video.

Girlfriend Among Those Charged

Sheriff’s deputies later identified Wright’s girlfriend, 17-year-old Gianna Kistenmacher of Myrtle Beach, as another suspect in the case. In a statement, the sheriff’s office said Kistenmacher was charged as an accessory before the fact, for allegedly driving Raper to the scene of the shooting while knowing he was armed and that Raper intended to shoot Wright.

“They were complicit in bringing the armed co-defendant, Raper, to the incident location and knowing that there would be a confrontation,” Florence County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Michael Nunn told WBTW-TV. “They knew that Raper had presented a firearm to the victim and made threats to shoot him, according to the arrest warrants.”

At the time, state law required the five adult suspects to be charged as adults.

Expanding Case: More Teens Arrested

Investigators expanded the case and made more arrests in the weeks that followed. The office’s chief prosecutor this month announced murder charges against 18-year-old Hunter Kendall and 18-year-old Corrine Belviso, both of the Myrtle Beach area, as well as 17-year-old Sydney Kearns of the Myrtle Beach area.

In total, nine teens have been charged in connection with Wright’s death, with some suspects charged with murder and others with allegedly playing supporting roles such as enticing Wright to the location or failing to stop the shooting.

“The hand of one being the hand of all is part of South Carolina law as well, so that’s the basis of the charge for each of those individuals,” Nunn said.

The arrests haven’t done much to ease the heartache for Wright’s mother, Ashley Lindsey. She told Fox News Digital that she’s been emotionally drained for weeks from the aftermath of her son’s death and the legal proceedings that have followed.

“All this court hearing and bond court and stuff is driving me crazy,” Lindsey said. “I don’t even have time to sit down and think half the time, on top of losing my precious baby.”

A GoFundMe campaign that had been started on Wright’s behalf shortly after his death showed him smiling in an undated photograph with a snake draped around his shoulders.

Sheriff: Shooting Stemmed From Love Triangle Rivalry

Florence County Sheriff T.J. Joye said he’s seen far too many similar cases over the years of pointless violence by young people over disagreements with their peers.

“In this case, they had issues with each other, and it was over a female,” Joye told a group of reporters. “The sad thing is, you got a 16-year-old that lost his life. You’ve got a 19-year-old who is going to be in jail the rest of his life. Over what?”

Legal Status of Suspects

As of this week, Raper was in jail with no bond on charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Kendall also was in jail with no bond.

Belviso and Kearns were released with a $20,000 surety bond and ordered to remain out of trouble until a court trial is held.

The office’s chief prosecutor said she could not comment on specific evidence in the case due to an ongoing investigation, but confirmed that all nine suspects have been charged with felonies and could face life in prison if convicted.

Broader Implications

The case has sent shockwaves through communities in Florence County and the Myrtle Beach area, as a large number of young people were involved in the killing and authorities have alleged that it was not an impulsive shooting but the result of some of the teens deliberately luring Wright to the remote location.

Prosecutors are likely to seek convictions not only using South Carolina’s “hand of one, hand of all” law, which allows accomplices to be charged as if they were the one who committed the underlying crime, but also witness interviews and accounts in the arrest warrants as well as a video of the shooting, if it was able to be recovered.

For Wright’s family, however, the pain is just beginning. “On top of losing my precious baby,” Lindsey said, “I’m now forced to sit through court hearings and face the people who helped take him from me.”