A quiet Florida community is in shock after two teenage boys were charged with the premeditated murder of a 14-year-old girl who was shot multiple times and set on fire in a wooded area.

Danika Troy’s charred remains were found on December 2 in a secluded spot off Kimberly Road in Pace, Santa Rosa County – a discovery that has left residents reeling and her devastated mother searching for answers.

Gabriel Williams, 16, and Kimahri Blevins, 14 – both former classmates of Danika – have been indicted on charges of first-degree premeditated murder and will be tried as adults.

The pair were arrested shortly after the body was discovered and have been held without bond since a grand jury returned the indictment on December 19.

State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden described the alleged crime as “deliberate, calculated, and unimaginably cruel”, justifying the decision to prosecute the teenagers in adult court.

According to arrest affidavits, Williams is accused of stealing his mother’s handgun and, together with Blevins, luring Danika to the isolated trail on the night of November 30.

Investigators say the girl left her home on an electric scooter while her mother slept, believing she was meeting someone she trusted.

Once at the location, she was allegedly shot several times. Williams is then said to have poured gasoline over her body and set it alight in an attempt to destroy evidence.

A witness told police that Blevins later admitted the original plan had been to shoot Danika once, but claimed the attack escalated.

The stated motive centres on a fallout over the Thanksgiving holiday period, with claims Danika had blocked Blevins on social media and insulted Williams, calling him “worthless” and a “gang-banger”.

However, Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson has expressed scepticism, telling reporters the reported motive “doesn’t fit the forensics or any facts of the case” and suggesting there may be undisclosed factors.

Danika’s mother, Ashley Troy, has spoken publicly of her grief, describing waves of pain and disbelief at the loss of her “bold and full-of-life” daughter.

In interviews, Mrs Troy said she and her younger daughter are leaning on their local Baptist church for support, with a GoFundMe page and candlelight vigils organised by the congregation.

She told reporters that Danika “loved” the two boys accused of her murder, adding: “She trusted them, and they brutally murdered her.”

Despite the horror, Mrs Troy said she does not blame the teenagers personally, instead referring to an “evil influence” and “darkness they fell into”, while making clear she wants prosecutors to seek the maximum penalty.

Pace, a town of around 20,000 people near Pensacola in Florida’s Panhandle, has been left shaken by the killing.

Parents have reportedly tightened curfews and schools have increased counselling services, while the once-popular walking trail has become a site of makeshift memorials with flowers and candles.

A third person, adult Mitchell Eddins, faces separate charges related to allegedly taking Danika’s scooter from the scene and failing to report the discovery of her body.

Williams and Blevins remain in Santa Rosa County Jail awaiting trial, which could extend into 2026.

If convicted of first-degree murder, they face possible sentences of life imprisonment without parole. The death penalty, while available under Florida law, is rarely applied to juveniles.

The case has prompted wider discussion about youth violence, the impact of social media disputes and the boundaries of juvenile justice.

As the community approaches its first Christmas without Danika, residents continue to rally around the Troy family, with many describing the teenager as a vibrant girl with a passion for singing and drawing.

Investigators have not released further details about any additional motives or circumstances surrounding the alleged crime.