3 charged in killing of teen found dead along a rural NC road, sheriff says
Sheriff’s investigators charged two men and a teenager with first-degree murder and other offenses on Friday in the killing of a 16-year-old outside his Lincoln County home.
One suspect, a 35-year-old man, remained at large Saturday, and authorities asked the public for help to find him.
Edwin Jaziel Morales Hernandez was found dead Dec. 15 along rural Whitehouse Drive, investigators said. That’s off U.S. 321 just north of Lincolnton and 40 miles northwest of uptown Charlotte.
Chief Deputy Matt Lykins said a worker from the area found the boy’s body around 7 p.m., about 200 yards from old mills at the end of the road, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Assailants took the teen from outside his home, robbed and shot him and left him on the side of the little-traveled road, according to a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office news release late Friday.
Three face felony charges in teen’s killing
Investigators didn’t say if the shooters knew the teen. The sheriff’s office credited tips that led to the discovery of evidence that investigators aren’t detailing.
On Friday, investigators obtained warrants against Michael Dujuan Byrd, 20, of Kings Mountain; Isaiah Dashawn Lipscomb, 17, of Clover, S.C.; and Larue Dean Lipscomb Jr., 35, of Gastonia.
Each is charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and kidnapping, all felonies.
Byrd was being held without bail in the Lincoln County jail Saturday. Isaiah Lipscomb was in the York County Detention Center awaiting extradition to Lincoln County, while Larue Lipscomb hasn’t been found, investigators said.
The sheriff’s office urged anyone who knows the whereabouts of Larue Lipscomb, or has information about the case, to call sheriff’s Detective Jon Propst at 704-732-9050; the Lincoln County Communications Center at 704-735-8202; or Lincolnton-Lincoln County Crime Stoppers at 704-736-8909. Tips can remain anonymous, investigators said.
Investigators thanked the U.S. Marshals Carolinas Regional Task Force, Kings Mountain Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office, Clover Police Department and Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office for executing search warrants at various locations in Kings Mountain, Clover and York County.