A teenage girl from North Carolina and a 28-year-old man have been charged with murder following the tragic discovery of three fatally shot family members inside the girl’s residence. Authorities revealed this development at a news conference on Friday.
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has charged 16-year-old Star Grant and 28-year-old Devon O’Neil Loving with three counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, both classified as felonies.
Given the gravity of the situation, Grant is being prosecuted as an adult, which is permissible under North Carolina law.
These serious charges could result in life imprisonment or possibly the death penalty, as they fall under Class A felonies in the state.
The shocking event unfolded on Thursday evening around 7:15 p.m. when deputies from Buncombe County responded to a welfare check at a residence on Ashworth Drive in Fairview.
A concerned relative, worried after a lack of communication from the victims, prompted the welfare check, according to official reports.
While deputies conducted two prior welfare checks earlier in the week, one on Monday and another on Wednesday, authorities said they did not have the necessary evidence of an emergency to legally force entry into the home until the third visit.
After entering the house, deputies found the bodies of Travis Eugene Grant, 41, Kimberly Michelle Grant, 42, and Sharon Harwood Grant, 66, all deceased from gunshot wounds.
Authorities confirmed Star Grant is the daughter of Travis and Kimberly Grant, and the granddaughter of Sharon Grant.
Investigators quickly realized the 16-year-old was missing, and through a coordinated effort with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Gatlinburg Police Department, authorities tracked Grant and Loving across state lines.
The pair, whose relationship has not yet been disclosed, were arrested at a hotel in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, shortly before 6 a.m. Friday.
Grant and Loving, both Buncombe County residents, are currently being held in Tennessee.
They are expected to face an extradition hearing on Monday before being transferred back to North Carolina to face charges.
No motive has been released as of Friday afternoon.
Authorities maintain there is no ongoing threat to the public.
