A teenage girl from North Carolina and a 28-year-old man have been charged with murder following the discovery of three family members found shot to death in their home, authorities revealed at a press conference on Friday.
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office reported that 16-year-old Star Grant and Devon O’Neil Loving, 28, each face three counts of first-degree murder and are accused of felony conspiracy to commit murder.
Grant will be tried as an adult due to the gravity of the charges, which in North Carolina are classified as Class A felonies. These charges carry the possibility of life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
Officials in North Carolina disclosed these details after the pair were arrested in connection to the tragic triple homicide.
The horrifying scene came to light around 7:15 p.m. on Thursday when deputies from Buncombe County conducted a welfare check at a residence on Ashworth Drive in Fairview.
This welfare check was prompted by a concerned relative after friends and family had been unable to contact the victims, authorities explained.
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.
Officials said the pair were arrested in Tennessee after allegedly fleeing North Carolina. (WHNS)
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 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation, according to authorities. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
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.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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