A pair of juveniles are facing first-degree murder charges after allegedly luring a missing 14-year-old girl into the woods, shooting her multiple times, and setting her body on fire in Pace, Florida.
Gabriel Williams, 16, and Kimahri Blevins, 14, were arrested following the death of Danika Troy, whose charred remains were discovered in a wooded area off Kimberly Road on Dec. 2, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Troy had been reported missing by her mother, Ashley Troy, on Dec. 1 as a runaway. She was last seen on Nov. 30.
Authorities arrived at the scene of the murder after receiving reports of a dead body at around 11 p.m. on Dec. 2. The burned body was among trees and brush, which also showed signs of fire damage. The condition of the remains initially made it difficult to identify the victim.
By Dec. 3, investigators had confirmed the victim was Troy through follow-up interviews and additional investigation.
Sheriff Bob Johnson said during a Dec. 4 press conference that the two suspects knew the victim. When asked about the relationship, Johnson said: “Friends? Supposedly, yeah.”
Williams, 16, allegedly stole his mother’s handgun before carrying out the killing. The sheriff said the two juveniles shot Troy multiple times before setting her body on fire.
“It’s bad enough you kill a 14 year old … You’re 14, you’re 16, shoot her multiple times, then they set her on fire,” Johnson said during the press conference.
Both Williams and Blevins are currently being held at the Department of Juvenile Justice on charges of first-degree premeditated murder.
Investigators have not established a clear motive for the killing. When questioned about why the teens targeted Troy, Johnson explained during the press conference that “the motive that they’re giving doesn’t fit the forensics or any facts of the case, so we don’t have a legit motive.”
The sheriff indicated that the juveniles had previous contact with law enforcement, telling reporters: “I think we’ve had run-ins with them before.”
The Major Crimes Unit, which Johnson praised for their swift response, is continuing to investigate the case. The sheriff said his office will work with the state attorney’s office to try to have the juveniles charged as adults.
“You do an adult crime, you need to do adult time,” Johnson said. “So that’s going to be the next effort we’re putting forth.”
The case marks another homicide for Santa Rosa County. According to Johnson, the county has experienced more homicides this year than normal.
