Mom of South Carolina teen lured to his death speaks out about son’s final days
Sixteen-year-old Trey Dean Wright was shot and killed after being drawn into a deadly confrontation. His mother says he believed his girlfriend was “a dream come true.”
The family of Trey Dean Wright, a 16-year-old boy killed in a South Carolina shooting, is speaking publicly about the days leading up to his death and his relationship with his girlfriend, who is among nine teenagers charged in connection with the case.
On the night of June 24, 2025, Florence County Sheriff’s deputies were called to First Neck Road near Johnsonville, South Carolina. When officers arrived, they found Trey lying in the road with multiple gunshot wounds.
The teenager was rushed to the hospital but died the next day, June 25. Authorities later confirmed that his final moments may have been recorded on video.
Eighteen-year-old Devin Scott Raper was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Investigators allege Raper shot Trey after a heated argument.
Nine teens charged, including girlfriend
In the weeks that followed, nine teenagers were taken into custody in connection with Trey’s death. Among them was his 17-year-old girlfriend, Gianna Kistenmacher.
Authorities believe Gianna may have played a role in luring Trey into the confrontation, possibly connected to a dispute involving another boy. Eight of the suspects have since been released on bond. Raper, the alleged shooter, remains in custody.
Ashley Lindsey, Trey’s mother, said her son had been dating Gianna for only a few weeks before his death. Despite reports that his killing stemmed from a love triangle, she insists that wasn’t the case.
“My son wasn’t about dumb stuff like a love triangle,” Lindsey told Mail Online. “He told me just two days before he was killed that being with Gianna felt like a dream come true. He really liked her, but he might have been clueless to whatever else was going on.”
She also recalled that Gianna had picked a fight with Trey just a day before the shooting, though she does not believe her son realized what it meant.
Friends and family left searching for answers
Trey’s close friend, Ethan Kirby, 18, shared his own view of what happened. “I believe Gianna just wanted them to fight, not for it to end this way,” he said. “It was all a childish act that turned real.”
Trey’s grandmother, Catherine Lee, said she was stunned when she learned of Gianna’s alleged involvement. She recalled that Gianna even came to the hospital the night Trey was admitted.
“She came to the hospital,” Lee told ABC News 4. “And we thought, we didn’t know she had anything to do with it. We were comforting her.”
As the case moves through the courts, Trey’s family says they are left with memories of a boy they describe as kind-hearted and unsuspecting of the danger he was in.
For now, investigators continue to piece together what happened on the night Trey was killed — and what role each of the nine teenagers may have played.
The killing of Trey Dean Wright has shaken Johnsonville and surrounding communities in Florence County, raising questions about teen violence, relationships, and how quickly disputes can turn deadly.
For parents and families dealing with similar loss, support is available. The nonprofit Compassionate Friends offers confidential assistance to grieving parents and siblings at (877) 969-0010.
