Florida police ask public for help after three teenage friends found dead in separate locations

Florida authorities are calling on the public for help in finding the perpetrators behind the murders of three teenagers who were found dead in different locations.

The first victim, 16-year-old Layla Silvernail, was found Thursday evening on the roadside with a gunshot wound. CNN reported that she was transported to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter. The second victim, a 17-year-old boy whose identity was not disclosed, was discovered fatally shot on the roadside the following morning. The third victim, whose identity is being withheld at the request of their family, was discovered lifeless in a vehicle that was partially submerged.

Lt. Paul Bloom of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department told reporters that although they have multiple suspects, “whether one person is arrested or multiple suspects are arrested has not been determined.” He added that investigators have collected a considerable amount of evidence from all three crime scenes.

Given the magnitude of the crimes and the small size of the community, Sheriff Billy Woods of Forest Lakes Park is optimistic that the public can help provide crucial information to the investigation. “We’re searching for leads for the people who have lost a loved one,” he remarked. “There are individuals out there who are aware. You possess information,” he added, explaining that the case is being handled by 15 detectives.

The murders have elicited a great deal of sadness and fear among residents of the small central Florida community. “Forest Lakes Park is a community of about 1500 people, at most,” Bloom noted. “We have mothers and fathers who have been hesitant to allow their children to leave their homes.”

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