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Charges Filed — Mixed Disposition

The Murders of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods

● Partially Resolved Double Homicide Orange County, North Carolina 2022
Victims
Devin Clark, 18 & Lyric Woods, 14
Date
September 17, 2022
Location
Buckhorn Road, near Efland, Orange County, NC
Cause of Death
Multiple Gunshot Wounds
Convicted
Issiah Ross
Verdict — Clark
Guilty — 2nd Degree Murder
Verdict — Woods
Mistrial — Retrial Possible
Sentence
20 to 25 Years
01
Victim Profiles

Devin Clark & Lyric Woods

Devin Clark
Devin Clark
Victim, Age 18

Devin Clark

Devin Clark was 18 years old and a former football player at East Alamance High School in Caswell County, North Carolina. His friends and teammates knew him by his nickname "Deuce 2x," a reference to the number 4, his jersey number. He was known for his energy, his humor, and his presence. His aunt Adriana Bowe remembered him in a Facebook post as a loved and very smart young man with a bright future.

Devin loved to laugh and everyone knew who he was. His mother Shant'ae Concepcion spoke publicly in the days after his death, saying she wanted justice for her son and for Lyric Woods. A candlelight vigil was held in his honor in Caswell County on September 22, 2022. He was 18 years old and had his whole life ahead of him.

Lyric Woods
Lyric Woods
Victim, Age 14

Lyric Woods

Lyric Woods was 14 years old and a freshman at Cedar Ridge High School in Orange County. Her obituary described her as someone who loved life and loved volleyball. She was the funniest kid you could ever meet, loved cracking jokes and being with her friends. She loved her eyelash curler and above all else loved her Nike Air Jordans. She was a beautiful soul on the inside and out, and she never met a stranger.

Her laugh and her glow would brighten any room. Her grandfather, who placed a handmade cross with solar lights at the scene where she was found, described the family's grief as ongoing and unrelenting. Cedar Ridge High School honored Lyric at a home volleyball game in the days following her death. A memorial service was held for her on September 24, 2022, at Crosslink Community Church in Mebane. She was 14 years old.

01
Overview

What We Know

In the early morning hours of September 17, 2022, Devin Clark texted Issiah Ross and asked him to drive both Clark and Lyric Woods into rural Orange County. Prosecutors stated at trial that the arrangement had been made through social media and that Clark and Woods intended to meet privately. Ross, who was 17 at the time, picked up Clark and then collected Woods near her home. He drove them to a remote location off Buckhorn Road near Efland in western Orange County and took them into the woods along a grassy ATV trail.

Both Devin Clark and Lyric Woods were reported missing by their families on the evening of September 17. On September 18, 2022, two men riding ATVs discovered the bodies of both teenagers along the trail off Buckhorn Road. Both had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. A 911 call made by the ATV riders was later released to the press. Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood confirmed both deaths and announced that investigators were treating the case as a double homicide.

Testimony presented at the 2026 trial revealed that Clark and Woods were shot while running for their lives along the trail. Orange County Assistant District Attorney Anna Orr stated that the evidence showed the victims had been fleeing when they were killed. Both were shot with the same firearm.

Issiah Ross claimed at trial that an argument broke out in the woods, that Clark shot Lyric Woods, and that Ross then wrestled the gun away from Clark and shot him in self-defense. The jury rejected this account with respect to Clark's death, convicting Ross of second-degree murder. The jury was split 8 to 4 on the charge related to Lyric Woods' death and could not reach a unanimous verdict; a mistrial was declared on that count.

02
Chronology

Case Timeline

September 17, 2022 — Early Morning
Devin Clark Contacts Issiah Ross
Devin Clark texts Issiah Ross and asks him to drive Clark and Lyric Woods to a rural area of Orange County. Ross, who is 17, picks up Clark and then collects Woods near her home in Mebane. He drives them to a remote area off Buckhorn Road near Efland and takes them into the woods along an ATV trail.
September 17, 2022 — Evening
Families Report Both Teens Missing
The families of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods separately report the teenagers missing to law enforcement. Both teens were last seen by their families on September 16 before their disappearance.
September 18, 2022
Bodies Discovered on ATV Trail
Two men riding ATVs discover the bodies of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods along the trail off Buckhorn Road in western Orange County. Both teens have sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood confirms both deaths and opens a double homicide investigation.
September 20, 2022
Juvenile Suspect Identified; Warrant Filed
The Orange County Sheriff's Office announces that a 17-year-old has been identified as the suspect. A juvenile petition for two counts of first-degree murder is filed with the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The suspect's name is not released under North Carolina law governing juvenile suspects. Sheriff Blackwood states the killings were not a random act.
October 2022
Suspect Apprehended in Delaware
Issiah Ross is located and arrested in Delaware approximately three weeks after the murders. He is returned to North Carolina and held in the Orange County jail. Sheriff Blackwood states the apprehension is intended to provide some relief to the families, though he acknowledges the grieving process will be long.
2023 to 2025
Transfer to Adult Court; Pre-Trial Proceedings
Ross is transferred to the adult court system and faces charges in Orange County Superior Court. He pleads not guilty. Multiple hearings address bond, discovery, and trial scheduling. In January 2025, a judge denies Ross release on a $200,000 secured bail bond. A jury trial is scheduled for October 27, 2025, before being rescheduled. In January 2026, Ross rejects a plea bargain offer.
January 14 to 29, 2026
Trial in Orange County Superior Court
Trial begins in Hillsborough, North Carolina before Judge Stephanie Reese. Prosecution is led by Assistant District Attorney Anna Orr; District 18 DA Jeff Nieman oversees the case. Ross is tried as an adult, now 21 years old. Testimony includes accounts from family members, investigators, and Ross himself, who claims self-defense and alleges Clark shot Woods before Ross wrestled the gun away. The jury deliberates for more than four days.
January 29, 2026
Verdict — Guilty on Clark; Mistrial on Woods
The jury returns a verdict of guilty on second-degree murder for the death of Devin Clark. On the charge relating to Lyric Woods' death, the jury reports a split of 8 to 4 and states that no further deliberation will change the outcome. Judge Reese declares a mistrial on the Woods charge. Ross is convicted of intentionally killing Devin Clark with malice, though without premeditation.
January 29, 2026
Sentenced; Retrial on Woods Possible
Judge Reese sentences Issiah Ross to a minimum of 241 months (approximately 20 years) and a maximum of 300 months (25 years), with credit for time served and a psychological evaluation ordered. Ross immediately appeals the conviction. Prosecutors indicate the charge relating to Lyric Woods' death may be revisited; a hearing on the retrial question was scheduled for March 2026.
03
Law Enforcement

The Investigation

The investigation into the deaths of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods began when their bodies were discovered by ATV riders on a remote trail off Buckhorn Road in western Orange County on the morning of September 18, 2022. Both teenagers had been reported missing by their families the evening before. The 911 call made by the men who found the bodies was later released to the press after a local blogger obtained it through a public records request.

Sheriff Charles Blackwood and the Orange County Sheriff's Office led the investigation with assistance from multiple local, state, and federal agencies. Within two days of the bodies being discovered, investigators had identified a 17-year-old suspect. A juvenile petition for two counts of first-degree murder was filed on September 20, 2022. The suspect's name was withheld under North Carolina's Raise the Age law, which since December 2019 has meant that 16 and 17-year-olds are not automatically charged as adults.

The suspect, later identified publicly as Issiah Ross, was located and arrested in Delaware approximately three weeks after the murders. Investigators established through cell phone records, witness accounts, and physical evidence that Ross had driven the victims to the scene using his mother's vehicle. Both Clark and Woods were shot with the same firearm. Prosecutors stated at trial that evidence showed the victims were shot while running for their lives along the trail.

The case drew significant public attention in Orange County and across North Carolina, in part because of the ages of the victims and the speed with which a suspect was identified. Lyric Woods' grandfather visited the scene repeatedly in the weeks following her death and installed solar lights around a handmade cross he built to honor her. The families of both victims attended every court hearing over the years of pre-trial proceedings, often filling the front rows of the courtroom wearing shirts bearing the victims' images.

Buckhorn Road — scene where Devin Clark and Lyric Woods were found
Buckhorn Road, Orange County — scene of discovery

The transfer of the case to adult court was completed after a judge determined Ross should face trial as an adult. He remained held in the Orange County jail without bond through the duration of the pre-trial period, with a judge denying a $200,000 secured bail request in early 2025. Ross rejected a plea offer days before trial. The trial began January 14, 2026, in Orange County Superior Court in Hillsborough and concluded with a partial verdict on January 29, 2026.

04
Convicted

The Accused

Issiah Ross
Issiah Ross
Also spelled Isaiah Ross in some records
Age at Time of Offense: 17
Age at Trial: 21
Tried As: Adult — Orange County Superior Court
Charges: Two counts of first-degree murder (Devin Clark and Lyric Woods)
Plea: Not guilty; claimed self-defense
Verdict — Clark: Guilty, second-degree murder (January 29, 2026)
Verdict — Woods: Mistrial declared; jury split 8 to 4
Sentence: 241 months minimum (approx. 20 years) to 300 months maximum (25 years); credit for time served; psychological evaluation ordered
Sentencing Judge: Hon. Stephanie Reese, Orange County Superior Court
Appeal: Immediately filed following conviction
Case Disposition
Issiah Ross was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Devin Clark on January 29, 2026. The conviction means the jury found Ross guilty of intentionally killing Clark with malice, though without the premeditation required for a first-degree murder conviction. The charge relating to Lyric Woods' death resulted in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked 8 to 4 and could not reach unanimity. Judge Reese sentenced Ross to 20 to 25 years with credit for time served since 2022. Ross immediately appealed the conviction. Prosecutors indicated they may seek a retrial on the Woods charge; a hearing was scheduled for March 2026. As of May 2026, no retrial date has been publicly confirmed. Ross was 17 at the time of the killings and 21 at the time of trial.
Forensic Breakdown

Case Analysis

Crime Scene and Victim Positioning
Prosecution testimony established that both Devin Clark and Lyric Woods were shot while running for their lives along the ATV trail. This positioning is forensically significant: victims who are shot from behind or while fleeing are inconsistent with a self-defense narrative in which the shooter claims to have been the one under threat. The use of a single firearm on both victims and the remote, isolated location of the killings are consistent with a planned rather than reactive shooting. The trail off Buckhorn Road was not a location either victim would have had reason to visit independently; they were transported there by the defendant.
Self-Defense Claim and Jury Outcome
Ross testified that Clark shot Woods, that Ross wrestled the gun from Clark, and that he shot Clark in self-defense. The jury rejected this account with respect to Clark, returning a second-degree murder verdict rather than an acquittal or a manslaughter finding. The split on the Woods charge reflects the greater evidentiary complexity in establishing Ross's intent toward Woods specifically. A second-degree murder conviction requires proof of intentional killing with malice; the jury's ability to reach that finding on Clark while deadlocking on Woods suggests the physical evidence was more directly probative for one victim than the other.
Offender Age and Juvenile Transfer
Issiah Ross was 17 at the time of the killings, placing this case within North Carolina's Raise the Age framework that took effect in December 2019. Under that law, 16 and 17-year-olds are initially processed in the juvenile system unless a judge transfers the case to adult court. The transfer in this case was granted based on the severity of the charges. Research on juvenile offenders tried as adults consistently finds that adolescent brain development, impulse control, and susceptibility to peer influence are relevant factors in understanding both culpability and rehabilitation potential. The court ordered a psychological evaluation as part of the sentencing conditions.
Victimology and Vulnerability
Lyric Woods was 14 years old and Devin Clark was 18. Both were transported by the defendant to an isolated location under circumstances that left them without means of escape or the ability to summon help. The remote ATV trail had no cell coverage and no passing traffic. The age gap between the victims and the nature of the arrangement they believed they were entering created a situation in which both were entirely dependent on Ross for transportation and were isolated from any external assistance once the confrontation began. The vulnerability of the victims was a product of both their ages and the deliberate choice of location.
The Mistrial and Unresolved Justice
The mistrial on the charge relating to Lyric Woods' death means that as of May 2026, no legal determination has been made regarding accountability for her killing. Both victims were shot with the same firearm in the same location at the same time by the same person; yet the legal system has produced a conviction for one death and an unresolved verdict for the other. The 8 to 4 split suggests most jurors found the evidence sufficient, but unanimity could not be reached. Prosecutors have the option to retry the Woods charge; the families of both victims have indicated they want accountability for Lyric's death as well as Devin's.
Speed of Identification and Digital Evidence
Investigators identified Ross as a suspect within two days of the bodies being discovered, a timeline that reflects the role of digital evidence in modern homicide investigations. The arrangement between Clark and Ross had been made via text message and social media, leaving a documented record of communication. Cell phone location data was available to place Ross at the scene. The speed of identification contrasted with the extended timeline of the legal proceedings; nearly four years passed between the murders and the trial, a gap that reflects both the complexity of the juvenile transfer process and the pre-trial litigation history of the case.
In Memoriam

They Are Not Forgotten

Devin Clark

Devin Clark was 18 years old and he was known by everyone. His friends called him Deuce 2x. He played football. He laughed all the time. His aunt said he was very smart and had a bright future, and she meant it the way you only mean it when you have watched someone grow up and seen what they are capable of and cannot understand why they will not get the chance to show it. His mother stood up in the days after he died and said she wanted justice. She has been waiting for it ever since. Devin was 18 years old and he deserved to live.

Lyric Woods

Lyric Woods was 14 years old and she loved life. She loved volleyball and Nike Air Jordans and making people laugh. Her grandfather built a cross for her with his own hands and went back to the place where she was found and put solar lights around it so the dark would not have the last word. Her family filled courtrooms for years. They wore her face on their shirts to every hearing. They sat through a trial that ended without a verdict for her death. They are still waiting for someone to be held accountable for what happened to Lyric. She was 14 years old. She is not forgotten.

Devin Clark and Lyric Woods — In Memoriam
Sources
WRAL — "Issiah Ross sentenced to 20 years for murder of Devin Clark, mistrial in death of Lyric Woods" (January 29, 2026) | Chapelboro.com — "Ross Found Guilty of Second-Degree Murder of Clark; Mistrial in Death of Woods" (January 29, 2026) | ABC11 Raleigh-Durham — Trial coverage, State of North Carolina v. Issiah Ross (January 2026) | Rolling Stone — "Suspect Detained in Double Murder of Teens Lyric Woods and Devin Clark" (October 2022) | Fox News — "North Carolina double murder: Families of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods say final goodbyes" (September 2022) | Orange County Sheriff's Office — Press releases (September to October 2022) | NBC News — "North Carolina authorities searching for teen accused of killing high school freshman and ex-football player" (September 2022) | AOL News / News Observer — "Orange County murder suspect, 19, pleads not guilty in teens' deaths" (March 2025)
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