Teen charged as adult in Orange County double murders appears in court

ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A teenager charged in the murder of two other teens faced a judge in adult court Tuesday.

Issiah Ross, 17, was arraigned on two counts of first-degree murder in superior court; it's his first time appearing on these charges since they were upgraded to adult court.

He's charged in the murders of Lyric Woods and Devin Clark.

Their bodies were found in a wooded area off Buckhorn Road in September.

Two routine motions were filed today, one concerning bond and the other over the return of confiscated property. Both of those motions will be decided on December 13.

Ross remains detained in a juvenile detention center. It's unknown if he will be moved to an adult facility when he turns 18.

The court process for Ross could take years, and many of the details of what investigators have uncovered will not come out until trial (if a trial even happens).

"Trying cases, any cases in court take time and murder cases especially so I think I would just say that ask patience. I can't pinpoint a timeline for that but this case will eventually be heard in court and the evidence that the state has when the case is brought to court will come out in court," Orange County District Attorney-Elect Jeff Nieman said.

Meanwhile, investigators said they are still trying to determine a motive for the killings. The Orange County sheriff says that Ross took off to Delaware the day of the murders.

It was the FBI violent crimes task force that tracked Ross down at an apartment complex in Dover, Delaware.

The FBI also arrested two people who were helping Ross hide.

They've been identified as 22-year-old Nakaysha Ross, Issiah's sister, and another woman, 21-year-old McKenzie Mitchell.

Both are facing charges of hindering prosecution.