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A 16-year-old North Carolina girl and a 28-year-old man are facing murder charges after three of the girl’s family members were found shot to death inside their home, authorities announced Friday during a news conference.
Star Grant, 16, and Devon O’Neil Loving, 28, are each charged with three counts of first-degree murder and felony conspiracy to commit murder, according to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.
Due to the severity of the crimes, Grant is being charged as an adult. As Class A felonies, the charges could potentially carry a sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty in the state of North Carolina.
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The gruesome discovery was made at about 7:15 p.m. Thursday, when Buncombe County deputies responded to a welfare check at a home on Ashworth Drive in Fairview.
The check was requested by a relative after friends and family had not heard from the victims, officials said.
While deputies conducted two prior welfare checks earlier in the week, one on Monday and another on Wednesday, authorities said they did not have the necessary evidence of an emergency to legally force entry into the home until the third visit.
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After entering the house, deputies found the bodies of Travis Eugene Grant, 41, Kimberly Michelle Grant, 42, and Sharon Harwood Grant, 66, all deceased from gunshot wounds.
Authorities confirmed Star Grant is the daughter of Travis and Kimberly Grant, and the granddaughter of Sharon Grant.
Investigators quickly realized the 16-year-old was missing, and through a coordinated effort with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Gatlinburg Police Department, authorities tracked Grant and Loving across state lines.
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The pair, whose relationship has not yet been disclosed, were arrested at a hotel in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, shortly before 6 a.m. Friday.
Grant and Loving, both Buncombe County residents, are currently being held in Tennessee.
They are expected to face an extradition hearing on Monday before being transferred back to North Carolina to face charges.
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No motive has been released, as of Friday afternoon.
Authorities maintain there is no ongoing threat to the public.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.