Only On THV: Family Says Son Murdered Not Suicidal
It's been one week since a 19-year-old man was found by his sister barely holding on to life.
He had a gun shot wound to the head just blocks from his home in McGehee. It's been ruled a suicide until further investigation, but his family says he was murdered.
Rachel Watkins walks with us and points, "My son was found right here. My son would not shoot himself. He's not that type of person, he wouldn't do this.
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Family and friends say it's a hate crime because Loryce had been dating a local girl in secret from her family.
Watkins adds, "I never thought him being in an interracial relationship that this would happen to him. I couldn't talk to her in public. I could only talk to her when she called me, text me or when she came over. He loved her and I know she loved him.
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Local and state police were unavailable for comment, but Watkins tells us the suicide just doesn't add up.
"My son was shot on the right side of the head with a 22 yet a 38 was found under his back. How would the 38 be under his back? Who put the gun there? He has powder burns in his left hand, but he's right handed and part of his finger was shot.
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Sister Aleshia Watkins adds, "His girlfriend won't answer any questions for us. We have tried to ask.
How come she's the only person that knows he was back here?"
Loryces' sister, Lauren found him after his girlfriend drove her to the scene crying, pointed to the area and drove off.
Lauren recalls, "I found my brother his head was almost up here against the tree and his legs were back here and he was laid back with his arms behind his head.
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Loryce was taken off life support five days later. Now the Watkins family wants answers and believes the person Loryce planned to marry may have been in on a crime with her father.
Watkins adds, "I think she had a lot to do with this. She lured my son in the car. This is not where my son was killed. My son was not shot back here. My son would not come back here.
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We tried contacting the McGhee Police Department and the State Police. Both asked us to call back next week.
Watkins says the gun was in his left hand, although, he's right handed and he wasn't lying in blood so he may have been dropped there.
She adds, "I just want justice, whoever killed my son to be put away for life. That was my baby you took from me.
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We chose not to name the girlfriend or her father because they're not suspects at this time.
No arrests have been made, but Watkins says the girl's father threatened her son before he died.
http://www. todaysthv. com/news/local/story. aspx?storyid=68722&catid=2
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