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Nine South Carolina teens were arrested in connection with the June 24 shooting death of 16-year-old Trey Dean Wright of Johnsonville. The shooting, which the Florence County Sheriff’s Office says was over a disagreement “over a girl,” was allegedly partially captured on video by one of the suspects.

Florence County deputies found the victim’s body on First Neck Road on June 24 and pronounced him dead at the scene. Wright had been shot multiple times. The road is located about 45 miles west of Myrtle Beach. On June 25, deputies arrested 19-year-old Conway resident Devan Scott Raper, who they say shot Wright after an argument between the two became increasingly hostile.

Deputies arrested all nine suspects in connection with Wright’s murder between the shooting and the end of August. In a press release, the sheriff’s office said that multiple teens were involved in luring the victim to the scene of the shooting, where Raper was waiting for him.

“The trio of Myrtle Beach area teens lured the victim to an incident location where codefendant Raper was waiting for him,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “They did so knowing he was armed and dangerous, and that a shooting had been threatened against the victim.”

Deputies also said that the events were partially recorded on video by one of the suspects. The victim’s mother, Ashley Lindsey, told Fox News Digital that court proceedings had been “driving her crazy.” “I don’t even have time to sit down and think half the time, on top of losing my precious baby,” she said.

Wright’s Girlfriend Said to Be in Custody, Facing Charges

One of the teens in custody is alleged to be Wright’s girlfriend, 17-year-old Myrtle Beach resident Gianna Kistenmacher. Juvenile detention center records indicate that she is in custody as of September 8, and court documents show that she was previously charged on July 27. Kistenmacher has been charged with being an accessory before the fact, a misdemeanor under state law.

Court documents say that Kistenmacher “did willfully and knowingly bring an accused to a place of safety, and not go or help any person injured or in danger by the crime,” despite “knowing that the accused” – Raper – “was armed with a deadly weapon and intending to commit a crime of violence and having created a situation likely to cause public danger or alarm.” In a case comment, a grand jury added, “Kistenmacher brought Raper to the scene knowing Raper had a gun and that a shooting could occur.”

Florence County Sheriff’s Office Major Michael Nunn told WBTW-TV on July 29 that Kistenmacher was among several suspects who were allegedly complicit in the events leading to the shooting. “They were complicit in bringing the armed codefendant, Raper, to the incident location and knowing that there would be a confrontation,” Nunn said. “They knew that Raper had presented a firearm to the victim and made threats to shoot him, according to the arrest warrants.”

Prosecutors say they are charging Wright’s girlfriend and several other teens as adults. South Carolina state law allows prosecutors to do so in cases such as the alleged murder of Wright. Nunn confirmed to reporters that five of the suspects were being charged as adults.

“Under the law here in South Carolina, 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.

Raper is being held without bond, while the others in custody all had bail or surety bonds set last week. Kendall was denied bond, while Belviso and Kearns were each released on $20,000 surety bonds and are expected to be back in court on September 25. Kistenmacher’s bond hearing is currently set for August 18, although it is not known at this time whether she will be tried as an adult.

Florence County Sheriff’s Office: Details Could Compromise Investigation

The Florence County Sheriff’s Office has not elaborated on the case, and prosecutors did not respond to a request for comment on the case. In a written statement, however, the sheriff’s office said that it would not be able to provide additional details, “because the investigation is ongoing and could compromise it.”

Sheriff T.J. Joye added that the victim and Raper were involved in a personal feud that stemmed from a conflict over a woman. “They had issues with each other, and it was over a female,” Joye said. “The sad thing is, you’ve got a 16-year-old who lost his life. You’ve got a 19-year-old who is going to be in jail the rest of his life. Over what?”

Murders of Teens Lead to Broad Discussion on Causes of Youth Violence

For Wright’s mother, the immediate cause of his death is only part of a larger picture of peer pressure and legal technicalities dragging on the case. Her grief is only deepened by the fact that her son’s girlfriend and many of his friends are among those who were indicted in connection with his murder.

Teenagers across the state and nation have been involved in several other shootings in recent months, while data suggest that youth violence is at a decade-long high. In a previous case, four South Carolina teens were accused of killing two local men in a double shooting. It’s unclear if that case or any of the others were connected to gang violence or organized crime.

Discussion of all of those cases has focused as well on how casual disagreements between teenagers can become fatal shootings. Rivalries between friends and the use of social media to exacerbate tensions are both believed to have factored into the case. The murder rate among teenagers has increased, and the role of teen-on-teen violence and how to prevent it has become a new area of focus for researchers and politicians.