A 13-year-old boy placed in a South Carolina foster home was allegedly murdered within hours of his arrival by two older boys who were already living there, according to state investigators.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed that the body of Daryl Martinez Lowry was recovered Monday from a lake near a residential dock in Modoc, South Carolina. Investigators say Lowry had gotten into a physical altercation with 17-year-old Landon Austin Moore and a second boy, age 16, whose identity has not been released because of his age.
Court documents obtained through law enforcement state that Moore and the younger boy allegedly attacked Lowry with a knife, leaving him with multiple lacerations, before dragging him toward the water. The altercation reportedly escalated at the boat dock until the two older teens held Lowry’s head underwater until he stopped breathing.
Both boys have been charged with murder and are currently in custody. Moore is being held at the McCormick County Detention Center, while the 16-year-old has been placed in the custody of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. No court date has been set for either suspect as of now.
Officials say Lowry had only recently been placed in the foster home as a temporary arrangement while authorities searched for a more permanent placement for him. The residence belongs to a local county official, who was reportedly asleep elsewhere in the home when the incident occurred in the early morning hours. Investigators have stated that the homeowner is not considered a suspect and is not believed to have had any knowledge of the attack as it unfolded.
Authorities have not disclosed what may have triggered the confrontation between the boys, and a formal motive has not been released. SLED said the investigation remains active, and further details are expected to be released as the case moves through the juvenile and adult court systems.