Myla Annette Payne, a 19-year-old female from Supply, NC, tragically passed away on June 29, 2019. Myla was a graduate of South Brunswick High School and was studying to become a Pharmacy Technician at Brunswick Community College. She was known for her love of dancing and spending time at the beach.
The investigation into Myla's death revealed that she and her 19-year-old boyfriend, Xavier Stevenson, were victims of a double homicide.
The couple was found on a secluded dirt road in Winnabow, NC, with gunshot wounds to the back of their heads. The crime scene was discovered by a couple who stumbled upon the car with its doors open and the radio still playing.
Logan Neal Young, 19, and Joshua Larmonte Carter, 20, were arrested and charged in connection with the murders. Young was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for each murder conviction, along with an additional 64 to 89 months for the attempted robbery charge. Carter pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, receiving a sentence of 73 to 100 months in prison.
The prosecution's case painted a chilling picture of the events leading up to the murders. On the night of June 29, 2019, Stevenson and Payne picked up Young and Carter before driving to Lee Buck Road to sell marijuana. A disagreement ensued between Young and Stevenson, leading to Young shooting Stevenson in the back of the head when he exited the car to urinate. Young then shot Payne in the back of the head and attempted to remove her body from the car before fleeing the scene with Carter.
The trial concluded with a guilty verdict for Young, while Carter's guilty plea resulted in a lesser sentence. The case highlighted the tragic loss of two young lives and the swift justice served to those responsible.
