Florida triple homicide victims likely knew gang-linked suspects, sheriff says

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Florida Sheriff Billy Woods gives update on triple homicide case

Florida Sheriff Billy Woods on Thursday told Fox News Digital he is looking into several suspects tied to the murders of three Marion County teenagers.

FIRST ON FOX — Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods told Fox News Digital Thursday he is looking into multiple suspects in the murders of three teenagers, who likely knew the perpetrators.

The three teenage friends — a 17-year-old male and two 16-year-old females identified as Layla Silvernail and Camille Quarles — were shot and left for dead in the rural county north of Orlando sometime between March 30 and April 1.

"It's multiple suspects. More than two," Woods said of suspects he believes may be part of a neighborhood gang.

He also believes the victims likely knew the perpetrators.

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Marion County authorities on March 30 located 16-year-old Layla Silvernail beside a road with a gunshot wound to the head. (Layla Silvernail/Facebook)

"That's the info that we got," he said. "Some of the info is that they did know each other."

The apparent triple homicide has left Marion County residents on edge, especially after officials announced the unrelated murder of an adult male last week.

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"The growth in the state of Florida is just rapid right now," Woods said. "Because all these people are coming, that doesn't mean that they're all good people. So, with that group that's coming in, you also have bad people. And so it's natural that we're going to have certain areas — whether it be crime, whether it be gangs — it's going to increase."

Three teenage shooting victims were found left for dead miles apart in Marion County, Fla., between March 30 and April 1. (America's Newsroom)

The mystery began March 30, when Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) deputies responded to the area of Forest Lakes Park on SE 183rd Avenue Road, where they located Silvernail, 16, with a gunshot wound.

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Authorities transported the teenager to a hospital in critical condition, and she lost brain function until she was pronounced dead.

Layla Silvernail's family is planning to donate the 16-year-old's organs, according to a GoFundMe. (Facebook/Layla Silvernail)

A day after finding Silvernail, MCSO deputies responded to SE 94th Street and SE 188th Court and located a deceased 17-year-old male with a gunshot wound.

The next morning, on April 1, the MCSO Major Crimes Unit, Forensic Unit and Underwater Recovery Team responded to the area of Malauka Loop and Malauka Loop Trace "in reference to information that Layla’s vehicle was partially submerged at the edge of a nearby body of water."

After obtaining a search warrant and searching her vehicle, authorities found 16-year-old Quarles dead from a gunshot wound.

Camille Quarles, 16, was found dead near Layla Silvernail's submerged vehicle on April 1. (Facebook/Camille Quarles)

Both Quarles and Silvernail played softball, and Silvernail was homeschooled. 

Woods said his office is seeking any information regarding Silvernail's vehicle, a white Chevy sedan, from anyone who may have seen it on or around March 30.

Three teenage friends — a 17-year-old male and two 16-year-old females identified as Layla Silvernail and Camille Quarles — were shot and left for dead in the rural county north of Orlando some time between March 30 and April 1. (Facebook/MCSO)

"We've got leads. … We've got suspects. We've got evidence. I've got an abundance of evidence," the sheriff said. "And we have to connect the dots so that we ensure that the case that goes into the courts is a solid case so that the prosecution is guaranteed a conviction for the crime in which they committed. And anything short of that means we're failing on our job."

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Florida officials are offering a $5,000 reward for information that could lead to an arrest in the case.

The MCSO is asking anyone with information to contact Det. Ryan Stith at 352-368-3542. Anonymous tipsters can contact Crime Stoppers of Marion County at 352-368-STOP (7867) and reference No. 23-22.