Suspects in Harnett County robbery and murder identified
LILLINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A teenage girl and boy are now suspects in the murder of a 28-year old Harnett County man.
The Harnett County Sheriff's office arrested Alma Isabel Correa Portillo, 17, of Angier and charged her with first-degree murder, kidnapping, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to commit robbery.
Sheriff Wayne Coats said investigators have also drawn up warrants for the same charges against Jarell Donte Ballentine, 18, also of Angier but have not taken him into custody.
The woman who lives at the address given for Ballentine says she is his grandmother but that he has not lived there since middle school.
She added that she doesn't know anything about the crime but she and another family member said their hearts go out to the family of the victim, Kyle Jarrett.
Jarrett was gunned down on June 21 according to investigators.
They haven't said what the motive for his shooting death may have been but the charges indicate they believe the suspects tried to rob Jarrett.
Attempts to reach Jarrett's parents today were unsuccessful.
But on the day after he was murdered his father told ABC11 prophetically, "Oh, we'll find out who did this, that's definite. There's too many friends he's got and there's too many people."
It's not clear whether Portillo or Ballentine knew Jarrett.
Neighbors in the Angier subdivision where Portillo lives say sheriff's investigators came by after the murder asking question about who drove a blue sedan often parked at the Portillo house.
One neighbor says it was the 17-year old daughter of the woman who lives at the house who also has two young boys.
He said the mother is hard working and that he felt sorry for her especially when she came home from work yesterday and couldn't get in her driveway because it was filled with patrol cars.
Portillo is now in the Harnett County Jail and will face a judge for the first time tomorrow.
Investigators are asking that anyone who knows where Ballentine is to call the Harnett County Sheriff's Office at 910-893-9111.
