Two 14-year-old boys who allegedly shot dead a young mother in an argument over a packet of cigarettes posted pictures of themselves brandishing guns on Facebook hours after the crime.
Police are still searching for Todavia Cleckley and Marcus Velasquez, who will be tried as adults for the murder in Beaver Hills, Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon.
A third boy, 13-year-old Kyle Goosby, is already in custody and has been charged with conspiracy to commit homicide.
One of the teenagers allegedly shot 22-year-old Kayla Peterson around 3pm on Saturday as she stood outside her home with her boyfriend, William Bailey.
On the run: Todavia Cleckley, left, and Marcus Velasquez, right, brandish guns and signs on their Facebook pages. They have both been charged in the murder of a 22-year-old woman on Saturday
The boys had followed Bailey from a nearby store asking for cigarettes and got into an argument with him and Peterson, according to court documents.
One teen pulled out a gun and fired a single shot, Beaver County police Chief Charles R. Jones Jr. told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Ms Peterson, who had a young daughter, was flown to Allegheny General Hospital but died from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen two hours later.
‘Words were exchanged and then gunfire,’ Jones said. ‘It’s disheartening juveniles this age were involved in an incident like this, and have guns.’
Victim: Kayla Peterson was shot dead as she stood outside her home with boyfriend William Bailey
Killed: One of the teens allegedly shot Kayla, pictured left with her daughter, as they argued over cigarettes
On Sunday, less than 12 hours after the shooting, a blurry photograph of two boys pointing guns at the camera was posted on Cleckley’s Facebook page.
The page already showed him posing with two guns – a semi-automatic pistol and a revolver – as the profile picture, which was uploaded last week. The page has now been taken down.
Jones told the Times Online that the boys were ‘no strangers to us. We’ve dealt with them before’. He added that he was not aware of the teenagers having contact with Peterson before the killing.
The boys have all had previous run ins with the police.
Velasquez, who has been involved with at least five alleged incidents, is still awaiting a hearing for two disorderly conduct citations from November, the Times Onlinereported.
Scene: The boys followed the couple home from this convenience store in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Crime: The woman was then killed with a single shot to her abdomen outside her home, pictured
Cleckley pleaded guilty on November 8 to violation of compulsory school attendance and was fined, while Goosby has been found guilty of disorderly conduct and also fined.
Velasquez is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit homicide in this latest crime. Cleckley is charged with conspiracy to commit homicide.
‘They’re armed and dangerous,’ Chief Jones said. ‘I’d like to see them off the street.’
Beaver County District Attorney Anthony Berosh said he will prosecute both teens as adults.
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