A 16-year-old boy has been charged with the fatal shooting of his 15-year-old girlfriend and her 9-year-old brother in Baltimore, Maryland, in a case authorities say was preceded by alleged threats.
According to investigators, the suspect, identified as Keith Maurice James Jr., is facing two counts of first-degree murder over the July 7 killings of Giovanna Myrie and her younger brother, Steve Allen.
Court documents allege that days before the shooting, Myrie sent a friend text messages claiming James had threatened to kill her if she was involved with other boys. The friend also told police the pair had been on a FaceTime call days earlier during which James was allegedly seen holding a firearm.
Investigators said cellphone data and surveillance footage placed the suspect near the victims' home on the day of the shooting. Later that evening, the children's mother returned home and discovered both siblings dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police described Allen as an innocent victim caught in the violence. James, who admitted to having dated Myrie for about two months, was arrested and later appeared in court, where his attorney waived a bond hearing.
Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said the case underscores the growing problem of teen dating violence and juvenile crime, urging greater awareness of the warning signs in young relationships.