FL - Three teens dumped and left for dead in Marion County - March 2023

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BeginnerSleuther said:
Meh, decline of values is something that's been echoed since the 50s and I'm still not sure what it means. At some point, these kids decided a burglary gang was the right way to live their lives. Was that because they were bored? IMO, no. Kids repeat what they know. If violence is what they know, they become violent, whether through wanting to mimic the violent actions of another OR (and this is underplayed) due to trauma they've experienced from the violence. The connection with the uptick in violence in schools can't be understated, in my professional experience, and I think that's a lot more to blame than vague decline in values.

MOO.
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Agree.

I'd say that "decline in values / general moral decline" as a preferred explanation for violent and disturbing crime begins even earlier -- it's on prominent display in very early crime "reportage" from the 18th century and has been around ever since. Gin, irreligion, too much religion, inadequate parenting, novels, advertising -- you name it.

People will always look, IMO, for larger and simpler explanations for complex and unsettling events, and especially for causes which do not implicate themselves.

Why did these kids kill their friends? I expect the direct or stated causes to be depressingly familiar, and unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.

I feel for the families and friends involved, who may never get an answer that makes a dent in their pain.
 
On Saturday, April 8, the United States Marshals and Lake County Sheriff’s Office arrested 16-year-old Tahj Brewton just south of Groveland.

Officials say Brewton was arrested on his outstanding warrants for carjacking with a firearm, aggravated assault, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer and tampering with an electronic monitoring device.
www.wcjb.com

Teen wanted for three Marion County murders has been arrested, officials say

United States Marshals and Lake County Sheriff’s Office arrested the third teen connected with the Marion County murders.
www.wcjb.com www.wcjb.com
 
worm said:
He should be concerned about figuring this crime out and save his politics about how bad off the country is currently for FB or something. He sounds like my grandpa when MTV on cable came to town.
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Lol, when I was little, the corruption of the American youth was unequivocally due to listening to the music of KISS and AC/DC.
 
imstilla.grandma said:
On Saturday, April 8, the United States Marshals and Lake County Sheriff’s Office arrested 16-year-old Tahj Brewton just south of Groveland.

Officials say Brewton was arrested on his outstanding warrants for carjacking with a firearm, aggravated assault, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer and tampering with an electronic monitoring device.
www.wcjb.com

Teen wanted for three Marion County murders has been arrested, officials say

United States Marshals and Lake County Sheriff’s Office arrested the third teen connected with the Marion County murders.
www.wcjb.com www.wcjb.com
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Good news that the third suspect has been arrested. Wonder if Sheriff will do another press conference.
 
Regal Beagle said:
Lol, when I was little, the corruption of the American youth was unequivocally due to listening to the music of KISS and AC/DC.
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Same here and if the album didn’t have that warning sticker I wasn’t interested.


Chelly said:
Good news that the third suspect has been arrested. Wonder if Sheriff will do another press conference.
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I hope they will start talking now.
 
What is the Sheriff doing to keep these kids out of trouble? What is HE doing to make sure that no kids turn to crime? What is HE doing to make sure no kids end up dead? Because that is HIS job. Blaming it on the parents, on the schools and the decline of morals or whatever he said is very easy.

He knows what is happening, he knows who deals drugs, who has the guns, which houses are hot spots for juveniles to gather at, etc, etc. What is he doing to stop it? He has the power to do it.
 
Lusitana said:
What is the Sheriff doing to keep these kids out of trouble? What is HE doing to make sure that no kids turn to crime? What is HE doing to make sure no kids end up dead? Because that is HIS job. Blaming it on the parents, on the schools and the decline of morals or whatever he said is very easy.

He knows what is happening, he knows who deals drugs, who has the guns, which houses are hot spots for juveniles to gather at, etc, etc. What is he doing to stop it? He has the power to do it.
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I was not a fan of this guy at the press conference. He was a little to fire and brimstone for my liking. I thought he was not respectful of the press and the community (but, hey, that is my take).

In areas of high poverty, poorer education systems, and young people with little to do, gang activity is rampant. I have worked in high poverty areas where jobs were scarce and I experienced generational gang membership--- grandparent(s), parent(s), and, then, my students--- with young people joining because it is what they know. Now, there are these new hybrids of gang activity where kids are joining gangs that have factions or are splitting so allegiances are all over the map. (Not saying this is what happened here but it part of the fabric of what is going on.) In this case we have kids living in trap houses, which I doubt are created by them but probably part of a family decision, if you will. We have kids who are savvy enough to keep their activity hidden by running away or sneaking out. I am sure that the gang culture is also embedded into the schools and all parts of the social fabric of the community. If you are from a poor family and start showing up with nice clothes, there is a reason. If your child is consistently with a group and there is a back and forth of beatings or violence, it is most likely that your child is either targeted by a gang, in a fight with rivals, or there are serious initiations going on at your school and in your community.

LE in many areas do not have the resources to create programs that counteract gang activities. Kids who are vulnerable might love some interventions but without any other option, they are are going to go with the option that appears to "protect" them. There is a confluence that requires lots of community-LE-family relationships that inner cities have been building but more rural areas have not had to do so because this kind of violence used to be a "city" issue but it is not anymore. JMHO.
 
Regal Beagle said:
After learning the stories of Trent Lerhkamp in Brunswick Ga, Paul Murdaugh Hampton Sc, Bowen Turner Orangeburg Sc etc, etc, etc, I really and truly don't believe it takes horrific environments to propagate these kids. The attackers of Trent, convicted rapist Bowen Turner, and even Paul Murdaugh, these are young men who were given EVERY opportunity to succeed, money was no object when it came their futures. NOTHING was in their way on the road to success. But the exact opposite happened. Different soil, different locale, different socioeconomic upbringing. What is the common denominator between all of these young men and the ones in FL? Why do they all seem to hold NO Value for human life? They have beaten, killed, tortured, and raped. All before the age of 20.
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People can have "horrific" upbringings without experiencing parental addiction, starvation, domestic violence, etc. Having no limits or rules isn't healthy either.

As for these kids, I have read and heard many times that it is very uncommon for a child who has hope to get involved with a gang.
 
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Lusitana said:
Camille Quarles, one of the victims, lived with her aunt. Layla Silvernail was very much engaged in the community, played softball and was liked by her teammates. By all accounts, Robert Robinson, one of the boys arrested, has a loving mother and is very close with family.

How is this even possible? How can a normal girl like Layla go from playing softball and being involved in normal activities to be involved in this mess? How can they go from 0 to a 100 like that? How can they even manage being both versions of themselves?
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It's also possible that these kids were abused by someone outside their families, and/or their family life really was not what outsiders thought it was.
 
Ladyotm said:
CQ lived with an aunt, siblings, and cousins per a Go Fund Me set up.

The part about schools being accountable...by all accounts Robinson was at school after the crimes...at the juvenile detention center for fighting at school. I just wonder, with the girls having stayed at another girl's place, had they been to school? I do believe the last week of March was spring break for a lot of Floridians. But if they had been truant for a while, could his rant referred to the truancy not being reported to authorities?
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I read in an article that Layla was being homeschooled. Let me see if I can find it. Will post link when I do. I can't post the WCJB link due to it also linking an account. :oops:

"Camille attended Lake Weir High School and Layla attended the same school before being homeschooled. The sheriff’s office has not confirmed what school, if any, the 17-year-old victim attended."
 
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The six (murderers and victims) were planning to commit robberies that night. Layla Silvernail was driving the car. She made a wrong turn. While she was making a U turn, she was allegedly shot by Rahj Brewton. LS then crashed into a dumpster.

"She was taken to the hospital, but did not survive. According to witnesses, someone got out of the car, got into the drivers seat, and sped away.
...
The next day, the unidentified male victim’s body was found lying in a ditch. He was reported missing and his identity was confirmed by his father. Brewton allegedly shot the male victim too.
...
On April 1st, detectives found Layla’s car partially submerged in a pond. Camille’s dead body was inside the trunk.
Sheriff Billy Woods said digital evidence proved Camille was voluntarily in the trunk of the car, as it was something she apparently did often."

RB then forced 12 yo Christopher Atkins to shoot the Camille Quarles. If he didn't, RB threatened to kill his family. CA and RR shot CQ.

Camille Quarles was shot because the murders knew she was a witness.

www.wcjb.com

New details into triple-murder investigation in Ocklawaha

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office released more details about the murders of three teenagers in Ocklawaha.
www.wcjb.com www.wcjb.com

JMO
 
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airportwoman said:
People can have "horrific" upbringings without experiencing parental addiction, starvation, domestic violence, etc. Having no limits or rules isn't healthy either.

As for these kids, I have read and heard many times that it is very uncommon for a child who has hope to get involved with a gang.
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That part about hope gives me chills. I wish all kids could see there is a better way and there is life after whatever they may be going through.
 
From June 2023: Suspects plead not guilty in Ocklawaha triple murder

OCKLAWAHA, Fla. (WCJB) - The three teenagers accused of killing three other teenagers and dumping their bodies in Marion County say they are not guilty.

During their arraignment on Tuesday in Marion County Circuit Court, Tahj Brewton, 17, and Robert Robinson, 17, pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder.

Christopher Atkins, 13, pleaded not guilty to one count. While in detention, a charge of battery was filed against him.

The three are accused of killing Layla Silvernail, 16, Camille Quarles, 16, and Michael Hodo, 17, at the end of March.
 
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