EXCLUSIVE: Former South Carolina trooper from 2015 cold case involving Murdaugh family speaks out amid ongoing double murder investigation
Just hours after South Carolina authorities announce the reopening of the 2015 investigation, one of the lead troopers handling the cold case recalls his suspicions surrounding the crime and says the Murdaugh family wouldn't cooperate.
The families of North Carolina teenagers Devin Clark and Lyric Woods — friends who died in a mysterious double-murder on Sept. 17 — will say their final goodbyes on Saturday.
Woods' family will be hosting a memorial service for the 14-year-old girl on Saturday at Crosslink Community Church in Mebane, according to an obituary on the McClure Funeral Services website. Clark's mother said in a Facebook Live video that she plans to host a memorial "ride along" for her 18-year-old son on Saturday, as well.
"Lyric loved life and loved volleyball. She was an angel," Woods' obituary reads. "Lyric was the funniest kid you could ever meet, she loved cracking jokes and being with her friends. She loved her eyelash curler and above all else she loved her Nike Air Jordans. Lyric was a beautiful soul on the inside and out. She is loved more than anyone will ever know. She never met a stranger and was loved by everyone."
The obituary added that the 14-year-old's "laugh and her glow would brighten any room."
Lyric Woods 'love life and volleyball,' according to her obituary. (McClure Funeral Services)
Clark's family held a candlelight vigil for the 18-year-old on Thursday. He was a talented football player at East Alamance High School. Friends called him "Deuce 2x," signifying the number four — his jersey number. His aunt, Adriana Bowe, remembered him in a Facebook post as a loved and "very SMART young man."
"Devin loved to laugh. … [E]veryone knew who Devin was," she wrote. "A young man with a bright future who was taken away from us so soon.
Devin Clark and Lyric Woods were last seen by family on Sept. 16 before their bodies were found on Sept. 17. (STXPix)
Orange County authorities are still on the hunt for a 17-year-old suspect facing charges in their deaths after Clark, 18, and Woods, 14, were found shot to death off of Buckhorn Road in a rural area of Mebane on Saturday afternoon after their families last saw them on Friday.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday announced that it had filed a petition to charge the juvenile suspect with two counts of first-degree murder in Clark's and Woods' shooting deaths.
Lyric Woods and Devin Clark were friends. (Instagram/ Lyric Woods)
"The suspect has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. While that obviously speaks for itself, this was not a random act," sheriff's office public information officer Alicia Stemper told Fox News Digital when asked if there remains a threat to the public.
NORTH CAROLINA SHERIFF EYES FOUL PLAY AFTER 2 MISSING TEENS FOUND SHOT DEAD IN POWER LINES
The suspect was not in custody as of Thursday, according to the agency, who pointed to a Tuesday statement from Sheriff Charles Blackwood.
Devin Clark played on the football team at East Alamance High School in Mebane, North Carolina. (STXPix)
"Through the hard work of my investigators, along with the assistance of personnel from many other law enforcement agencies, we have identified a suspect in this case," Blackwood said at the time. "We will now work with local, state and federal authorities to apprehend and present the suspect to the court system."
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and FBI directed Fox News to the sheriff's office when asked about their possible involvement in the search.
Investigators described Lyric as a 9th grader at Cedar Ridge High School in Hillsborough. (Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Clark was a junior at East Alamance High School in Mebane, where he played football. Woods was a freshman at Cedar Ridge High School in Hillsborough.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
It is unclear what the pair were doing together when they disappeared on Friday or how they were shot dead by Saturday afternoon.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Orange County Investigator Keith Goodwin at 919-245-2918.
True Crime
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.
