Two juveniles were arrested while a third underage suspect remains at large in connection with the shooting deaths of three teenagers in Florida, authorities announced.
Christopher Atkins, 12, and Robert Robinson, 17, have been charged with first-degree murder in the killings that happened in less than a 48 hour period between March 30 and April 1 in Ocklawaha, according to an April 7 Facebook post from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
A third suspect, 16-year-old Tahj Brewton, is still being sought by authorities.
Layla Silvernail, 16, Camille Quarles, 16, and a 17-year-old boy – who has yet to be identified – were all found shot to death in three separate locations, authorities and loved ones said.
Sheriff Billy Woods revealed Friday that he believes all three victims were involved in burglaries and robberies, and both the victims and suspects were allegedly “associated with a gang.”
“Basically, in simple terms there is no honor among thieves,” the sheriff said at a press conference. “And at some point, these three individuals turned on our three victims and murdered them.”
Silvernail was the first victim to be found by investigators just before 11 p.m on March 30, Mister Truth previously reported. She was discovered laying on the side of the road suffering from a gunshot wound in the area of Forest Lakes Park on SE 183rd Avenue Road.
The girl was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.
Deputies said the next morning, around 8 a.m., a 17-year-old boy who’d been fatally shot was located on the side of the road on SE 94th Street and SE 188th Court. His identity has not been revealed.
Then on April 1, at about 12:30 p.m., investigators found the body of Quarles inside the trunk of Silvernail’s abandoned car which was partially submerged near the edge of a small lake on Malauka Loop and Malauka Loop Trace, the sheriff said. She had also been fatally shot.
“The vehicle was approximately nine miles away from the location where Layla Silvernail was located,” the post reads. The suspects are believed to have fled the area where Silvernail was found, the sheriff noted.
Investigators also revealed they believe the three victims were in Silvernail’s 2015 Chevy Cruze before they were killed. It’s unclear if the trio had all been shot at the same time.
The sheriff previously said a social media rumor about a fourth victim, and another about a possible serial killer in the neighborhood, were unfounded.
Silvernail’s family revealed on a GoFundMe page created to help offset funeral costs that they’re planning to donate her organs “in the wake of this tragedy.”
The teenager was remembered as an “amazing athlete” who had played softball her entire life, according to the fundraiser.
Quarles was also identified by family on a GoFundMe page, which described her as “very beautiful person.”
“No one deserves this no matter what,” the fundraiser’s description reads. “These kids had a full life ahead of them!”
Sheriff Billy Woods said that in addition to the evidence the suspects left behind, tips from members of the public and local and federal law enforcement helped lead to the speedy arrests.
“This investigation has been a success because of several factors,” the statement reads. “Our law enforcement partners with the FBI, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, State Attorney Bill Gladson’s Office, FDLE, the Ocala Police Department, my deputies, detectives, and forensics professionals, and finally, our citizens who provided numerous tips all along the way.”