A teenage girl, who was apprehended in a sinister plan to murder a 16-year-old boy allegedly enticed to his demise by a romantic competitor, hails from a family known for being troublesome according to neighbors.
Corrine Belviso, 18, is one of nine teenagers facing charges linked to the killing of Trey Dean Wright, who was fatally shot after a conflict in Johnsonville, South Carolina, on June 24.
Wright was supposedly drawn to an isolated rural area on First Neck Road by his girlfriend, Gianna Kistenmacher, 17. There, another teenager, 19-year-old Devan Raper, was waiting to confront him aggressively before a crowd of spectators.
The deadly encounter, thought by investigators to have originated from a romantic discord, was recorded on video by at least one teen among the onlookers. The footage purportedly shows Raper firing several shots, hitting and killing Wright, as claimed by the police.
Raper was arrested and charged with murder the following day, along with Kistenmacher, who was charged as an accessory before the fact.
Belviso, along with two other teens, Hunter Matthew Kendall, 18, and Sydney Marissa Kearns, 17, were charged with murder three days later. Police have yet to disclose the specific roles they allegedly played in Wright’s murder.
Neighbors of Belviso in Myrtle Beach appeared unastonished by her involvement in the horrific crime, characterizing her family as challenging and antagonistic.
Corrine Belviso, 18, is among nine teenagers to have been charged in connection with the murder of Trey Dean Wright. Her family has been described as difficult to live next to by their neighbors
‘They’re always throwing wild parties and they have trucks going up and down the street at two or three in the morning,’ Michael Vanglahn told WBTW.
‘[It’s not a surprise] based on the people that she hangs out with, you know, and the people that her mom allows her to hang out with and the people she invited in.’
Another neighbor, who asked not to be named, told the network they’ve had multiple issues with Belviso and her family, both online and in person.
‘They were having a party one night and when I came out, I was just like, “Hey, can you please calm down? It’s almost 2 am,” and they wanted to get into a fight with me,’ said the neighbor.
‘I was just trying to come out and let them know… I’m not going to call the police or nothing. I used to be a kid. I understand, have fun – I get that. But I have a six-year-old daughter, and I have a wife. This is a neighborhood. This isn’t party central.’
Court records obtained by the Daily Mail show that Belviso’s mom, Phyllis Belviso, has an extensive rap sheet, including charges for alleged drug possession, various traffic infractions, and a domestic violence charge in 2016 that was later dismissed.
She owns an office cleaning company in the Myrtle Beach area and describes herself as a loving mother of three children, social media posts show.
Court records obtained by the Daily Mail show that Belviso’s mom, Phyllis Belviso, has an extensive rap sheet, including charges for alleged drug possession
Neighbors of Belviso in Myrtle Beach were seemingly unsurprised to learn of her connection to the brutal crime, describing her family as difficult and hostile (pictured: Michael Vanglahn)
Neighbors described the Belvisos as disruptive and hostile to WBTB
Phyllis Belviso has not yet returned a request for comment.
Her daughter posted her $20,000 bond last week and has been placed on house arrest until trial.
Four other teenagers have since been arrested in connection with Wright’s death, but have not yet been named, bringing the total number charged to nine. A 10th teen is expected to surrender to police soon, WTBW reported.
Maj. Michael Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office said those arrests involved individuals who were ‘complicit’ in bringing Raper to the scene of the shooting, ‘knowing there would be a confrontation.’
‘They knew that Raper had presented a firearm to the victim and made threats to shoot him, according to the arrest warrants,’ Nunn added.
Raper has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He remains behind bars at the Florence County Detention Center after being denied bail by a judge.
Police claim Raper had previously flashed a firearm at Wright and threatened to shoot him.
Gianna Kistenmacher, the victim’s 17-year-old girlfriend, has been accused of playing a significant role in the killing. According to the sheriff’s office, she brought her boyfriend to meet with Raper – knowing he was armed and likely to kill Wright.
She was arrested and charged with accessory before the fact to a felony, but has since been granted bond and released to home confinement.
Wright was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at an area hospital
Devan Scott Raper, 19, is the accused shooter. Gianna Kistenmacher, the victim’s 17-year-old girlfriend, was the second to be arrested and charged as an accessory
A second neighbor of the Belvisos, who asked not to be named, said they’ve had multiple issues with Belviso and her family, both online and in person
Hunter Kendall has since posted bond, while Sydney Kearns remains behind bars.
Posts to Wright’s TikTok page hinted at an ongoing conflict and relationship issues before his death.
In a video uploaded just days before, he is seen dancing alongside a friend, with a caption referring to an unnamed girl he credits with being the ‘reason I wake up and smile every day.’
‘I fear no female,’ a caption in another video read. ‘What’s she gonna do? Talk about me on her private story?’
Other videos included vague references to fighting.
‘[R]emember gang, you swing, I swing,’ read one post from April.
Five of the nine teens charged so far will be tried as adults, Nunn said.
On the night of June 24, deputies discovered Wright lying in the middle of First Neck Road near Johnsonville, which is about 45 miles from Myrtle Beach
Hunter Matthew Kendall, 18, and Sydney Marissa Kearns, 17, have also been charged with murder
In a video uploaded just days before, Wright is seen dancing alongside a friend, with a caption referring to an unnamed girl he credits with being the ‘reason I wake up and smile every day.’
Nunn expects one more person to turn themselves in. According to officials, the decision to charge multiple defendants with murder was not taken lightly.
‘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,’ said Nunn.
Sheriff T.J. Joye earlier said the shooting was believed to have been caused by a romantic rivalry.
‘They had issues with each other, and it was over a female,’ Joye told local media
‘The sad thing is, you 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?’
Raper’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 19, while Kendall and Belviso are set to appear in Florence County Circuit Court on September 17.
It is unclear whether Raper, Kendall, and the other teens have retained attorneys who can speak on their behalf.
