In the quiet, rural landscape of Florence County, South Carolina, a tragic story of teenage love, jealousy, and violence unfolded, culminating in the death of 16-year-old Trey Dean Wright. On the night of June 24, 2025, the young man was lured to a remote location off a country road under the pretense of meeting his 17-year-old girlfriend, Gianna Kistenmacher.
Instead of a private rendezvous, he was met by a group of teenagers, and the evening ended with him suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
The investigation that followed painted a grim picture of a premeditated plot. At the center of the conflict was a dispute between Wright and 19-year-old Devan Scott Raper over Kistenmacher. Authorities allege that Kistenmacher played a crucial role in the events of that night, knowingly leading Wright into a confrontation. It is believed that Raper, who had previously threatened Wright with a gun, was the one who pulled the trigger. Adding to the chilling nature of the crime, it was reported that at least one of the teens present filmed the fatal encounter.
In the weeks following the shooting, law enforcement made a series of arrests, bringing the total number of charged individuals to nine, with a tenth suspect expected to surrender. The alleged shooter, Devan Scott Raper, faces charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Trey Dean Wright's girlfriend, Gianna Kistenmacher, was charged with being an accessory before the fact. Others taken into custody and facing murder charges included 18-year-olds Hunter Kendall and Corrine Belviso, and 17-year-old Sydney Kearns. Four other minors were also charged, their names withheld due to their age. While some of the accused have been released on bond with conditions such as home confinement and electronic monitoring, Raper was denied bond. The community continues to grapple with the shocking violence that cut a young life short as the legal proceedings against the accused continue.
