Family, friends, and neighbors familiar with the situation have expressed their disbelief to First Coast News. The teen suspect’s closest friend mentioned that the family regarded him as one of their own.
MIDDLEBURG, Fla. — A 14-year-old Clay County boy is accused of a crime that’s left a community asking why. According to deputies, he shot and killed his own parents, then called 911 to confess just after midnight Monday.
Sheriff Michelle Cook said Trevor Lee, just 14 years old, got into an argument with his parents, 44-year-old David Lee and 45-year-old Brandi Lee, moments before opening fire.
Family members, friends and neighbors who knew this couple and their son tell First Coast News that they appeared to be your typical family — which is why many of them said they’re left shocked and saddened at this news.
“They were the best or one of the best families I knew,” said Kyree Bemon. “They were funny and they treated me well. They told me they loved me like a son and they treated me as such.”
Fourteen-year-old Kyree Bemon came to David Lee and Brandi Smith’s home almost every week to hang out with his best friend, Trevor Lee.
Monday afternoon, Bemon is now praying in front of the home where the shooting happened.
According to Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, Trevor got in an argument with his parents Sunday night.
Police say the teen shot and killed his parents, then called 911 and surrendered at a nearby church.
Bemon said he last spoke with Lee around midnight, six hours before police responded to the shooting.
“He told me he loved me and he told me he was calling to say goodnight,” Bemon said. “Trevor isn’t a bad person, he made some bad mistakes and he’ll suffer the consequences for it, but that’s not all he was. I don’t want him to be known as a killer or murderer. He was a great kid, great son and great brother.”
James Lewis is cousins with Brandi Smith and said her family was like any other.
“She was a happy person. A good person all around,” Lewis said. “Every time I saw them, laughing, joking, doing family things.”
Now two parents are gone, a teen is behind bars and a Middleburg community is now rattled forever.
“My heart breaks for that little boy, obviously tragic incident, for it to get to that point where he felt like it was the only option he had, is the saddest thing you could possibly think of,” Seth Myers, a neighbor, said.
“The Trevor that did this, I don’t know that Trevor, and the Trevor I knew, I will continue to be friends with him and I pray the Trevor that did this died last night,” said Bemon.
According to Cook, investigators are looking into Lee’s mental health history. He is charged with two counts of second-degree murder.
