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Nine teenagers have been arrested in South Carolina in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Trey Dean Wright of Johnsonville on June 24. Florence County officials say the shooting, which was allegedly recorded on video by at least one of the suspects, was the culmination of an ongoing dispute “over a girl.” Wright’s family is grieving the unexpected loss while questioning the possible involvement of their son’s girlfriend and other teens.

Sheriff’s deputies found Wright dead along a rural stretch of First Neck Road on June 24. Wright had been shot multiple times and was declared dead at the scene by emergency medical technicians. The area is about 45 miles west of Myrtle Beach. On June 25, 19-year-old Devan Scott Raper of Conway was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He was alleged to have shot Wright after an argument between the two escalated. Prosecutors say Raper will be tried as an adult under a state law that allows juveniles to be charged as adults in murder cases.

Florence County investigators say Raper was part of a group of suspects that planned to confront Wright, and that the group of teenagers helped lure him to the location where Raper shot him. Prosecutors also alleged that Raper was aware of the other suspects’ involvement in the shooting.

“I was there; I brought Trey Wright to this point,” the suspect reportedly said after being arrested. “I’m a bad guy; I’m done.”

Sheriff T.J. Joye confirmed that the group of young people got together to confront and potentially harm the victim. “They had issues with each other, and it was over a female,” Joye told reporters. “The sad thing is, you’ve got a 16-year-old who lost his life. You’ve got a 19-year-old who is going to be in jail the rest of his life. Over what?”

The victim’s mother, Ashley Lindsey, told Fox News Digital that the case is a “nightmare.” She criticized the slow pace of the investigation and court process. “All this court hearing and bond court and stuff is driving me crazy,” she said. “I don’t even have time to sit down and think half the time, on top of losing my precious baby.”

Nine Teens Arrested, and One Is Wright’s Girlfriend

Gianna Kistenmacher, 17, is among those arrested in the case. The Myrtle Beach resident was in a relationship with Wright and is accused of aiding in the murder. Investigators allege she and others were able to set up the confrontation between Wright and Raper, who had previously posted social media videos of him holding and handling a firearm.

Kistenmacher has been charged with being an accessory before the fact in the shooting and has been accused of bringing Raper to the site despite knowing the other suspect was armed. Investigators say she was aware that Raper planned to confront and fight with Wright. Kistenmacher is scheduled to be in court on Friday for a bond hearing, according to WBTW-TV.

In addition to Raper and Kistenmacher, at least six other teens have been arrested by Florence County officials. Those arrested have not been identified except for Hunter Kendall, Corrine Belviso, and Sydney Kearns. The three are from the Myrtle Beach area and have been charged in addition to Raper. The teens were all arrested between July 6 and July 9. Kendall and Belviso are both 18, and Kearns is 17. Prosecutors said they had all played an active role in the murder and were arrested after being indicted by a grand jury.

Florence County authorities have not released information about the other teens arrested or identified. Major Michael Nunn of the sheriff’s office, speaking on the condition of arrest, said: “We will not be releasing their names at this time as this is an active and ongoing investigation.”

Kendall, like Raper, is charged with murder. All three other suspects were booked into the Florence County Detention Center last week. Belviso and Kearns each paid $20,000 surety bonds to be released until trial. Kendall and Raper were ordered to be held without bond.

Sheriff’s investigators have said they do not know why the dispute started or why it escalated to such a degree. “As we know, sometimes those rivalries or whatever they want to call them, for whatever reaso,n can result in someone losing their life,” Joye said.

Legal experts have said that allowing teenagers to be charged as adults and tried as such was the result of successful lobbying by prosecutors and law enforcement groups. Parents of some of the juveniles have also questioned why teenagers were not allowed to give a chance and speak to their kids before charging them.

Editor’s note: This story was updated with details about the bond hearing on Friday for Kistenmacher.