Family thought teen girl found shot to death in bed was asleep
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The family of a Texas teen girl shot to death in bed initially thought she was asleep — only to later make a gruesome discovery when they turned on her lights.
Tristan Dilley’s younger brother eventually found the 14-year-old face down Sunday evening in her bedroom, which was covered in blood, news station KBMT reported.
Authorities said the ninth-grade student died from a gunshot wound to the head at her mom’s home in Buma.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to a GoFundMe page for Dilley, the Silsbee High School cheerleader was home alone during the fatal shooting, the Beaumont Enterprise reported.
Her death occurred just two days before she would have turned 15.
Dilley’s step-father, Joe Scott, said that he thought the teen was sleeping when he first checked on her.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When her brother went in the second-floor bedroom and turned on the lights, he said that all he could see was blood, according to KBMT.
Police said that evidence discovered at the scene led them to search for a 19-year-old man who was romantically involved with the teen girl.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, was found dead Monday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near Vidor.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Authorities have not released a motive for the murder.
Funeral services for the high school freshman will be held on Saturday.