Crime
Two Alabama Teenagers Found Fatally Shot in Nashville Woods Identified
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Authorities have identified two Alabama teenagers found shot to death earlier this week in a wooded area near Percy Priest Lake in Nashville.
According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the victims have been identified as Amir Landan Wilkerson, 19, and Jamie Valdez-Garcia, 18, both residents of Alabaster, Alabama.
The bodies were discovered shortly before 2 p.m. on Monday by a passerby walking along a wooded trail near the Lincoya Bay Apartments.
The area where they were found is part of the Army Corps of Engineers property.
Police said both teens had been shot multiple times.
Wilkerson was identified on Tuesday after investigators found his wallet at the scene. The identity of Valdez-Garcia was confirmed the following day.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the two teens traveled from Alabaster to Nashville on Sunday — the last day they were seen by their families.
Authorities have not yet determined the purpose of their trip or the circumstances that led to their deaths.
The motive remains under investigation, and no suspects have been publicly identified.
Law enforcement officials are urging anyone with information about the case to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463, and a reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
The investigation is ongoing, and further updates will be provided as more details become available.
Crime
Victims Identified in Deadly Robeson County Mass Shooting
Two Dead, 13 Injured in Mass Shooting at Large Party in Robeson County, North Carolina
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. — A late-night party in eastern North Carolina turned deadly early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted, leaving two people dead and 13 others injured, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins confirmed that deputies were called to the scene on Dixon Drive, just outside the town of Maxton, at approximately 3:00 a.m. following reports of a shooting at a large outdoor gathering attended by more than 150 people.
When deputies arrived, chaos had already unfolded — witnesses said over 150 individuals fled the area before law enforcement could secure the scene.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Jessie Locklear and his son Nehemiah Locklear.
Several other victims sustained critical injuries and were transported to area hospitals for emergency treatment.
Sheriff Wilkins stated that, based on preliminary findings, the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the violence.
Detectives are working to determine the motive and identify all parties involved.
Authorities are urging anyone with information—or anyone who attended the gathering and witnessed the incident—to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Investigators at 910-671-3100.
“We know there were many people present when this occurred,” Sheriff Wilkins said. “If you saw something or know something, we need you to come forward to help bring justice to the victims and their families.”