A 14-year-old Florida teen walked over a mile to a nearby church to call police and confess to having just murdered his parents Sunday night, leaving his friends and neighbors in disbelief.
Trevor Lee, a resident of Clay County, now faces second-degree murder charges for murdering his parents, David Lee and Brandi Smith, according to the local sheriff’s office.
During a Monday news conference, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said the office’s 911 communication center received a call from Lee at around midnight. The teenager told the dispatchers that he had just murdered his parents at their home in Middleburg and would wait for authorities to arrive at the church to take him into custody.
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“Deputies responded immediately to both locations, the church and then to a home out here in the Middleburg area,” Cook said. “When deputies arrived at the church, they took 14-year-old Trevor Lee into custody. When almost simultaneously deputies arrived at the address in question, they found two deceased individuals inside.”
The bodies of Lee’s parents, 44-year-old David Lee and 45-year-old Brandi Smith, showed signs of gunshot wounds, according to Cook. She added that the shooting reportedly stemmed from an argument on Sunday evening between Lee and his parents.
“This does appear to be an isolated incident, and we have no further threat to our community at this time,” Cook said. “Again, this is a very active scene. Our detectives are working diligently to try to figure all of this out.”
“We do want to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, the friends, and all of those who are affected by this heartbreaking incident,” Cook continued, asking anyone with information regarding Lee or his parents to contact the sheriff’s office.
In response to a question from a reporter, the Clay County sheriff said authorities are reviewing Lee’s mental health background as part of the investigation.
Members of the community who knew the couple and their son expressed shock over the news, First Coast News reported.
Kyree Bemon, 14, told the outlet he used to hang out at his friend’s house nearly every week. On Monday, the teen stood outside his friend’s house where the shooting occurred and prayed.
“They were the best or one of the best families I knew,” Bemon said about his friend’s family. “[Lee’s parents] were funny, and they treated me well. They told me they loved me like a son, and they treated me as such.”
Bemon remembered speaking with Lee six hours before the police responded to the 911 call to report the shooting, First Coast News added. Lee reportedly told his friend that he loved him and that he was calling to say “good night.”
“Trevor isn’t a bad person; he made some bad mistakes, and he’ll suffer the consequences for it, but that’s not all he was,” Bemon said. “I don’t want him to be known as a killer or murderer. He was a great kid, great son and great brother.”
Bemon added that he doesn’t know the Lee who is accused of murdering his parents, adding that he will continue to be friends with him. The teen said he prays that the Lee “that did this died last night.”
Seth Myers, who’s a neighbor of the family, expressed shock that the teen committed such a crime.
“My heart breaks for that little boy. Obviously, a tragic incident, for it to get to that point where he felt like it was the only option he had, is the saddest thing you could possibly think of,” Myers said.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
