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15-year-old girl from Lowell allegedly shot by 21-year-old boyfriend

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15-year-old girl from Lowell allegedly shot by 21-year-old boyfriend

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When Ahliana Dicke didn’t show up for her eighth-grade graduation ceremony on Friday afternoon, her family became worried.

What they didn’t know was that the 15-year-old girl was found lifeless on the floor of the family’s northeastern Massachusetts home, prosecutors said. Her death was apparently the result of gunshot wounds.

Ahiana’s young life came to an end when someone broke into her Lowell home shortly after midnight Friday and shot her multiple times, according to police.

Less than 48 hours later, Lowell police officers arrested 21-year-old Trevor Bady of Tewksbury and charged him with criminal charges, including murder, in connection with the girl’s death.

The town of Tewksbury is located about 5 miles southeast of Lowell, south of the New Hampshire state line.

The motive for the murder had not been determined as of Tuesday.

During a news conference on Monday, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Lowell Police Chief Greg Hudon told reporters that Ahliana had “an abusive relationship” with Bady, whom the prosecutor described as the girl’s boyfriend.

Hudon described the murder as an isolated incident.

“I talked to her on the phone last night,” Sklya Gutherie, the victim’s friend, recalled to CBS Boston the day after her murder. “I still can’t believe it. She was happy… a positive person.” Ahliana was excited to start high school, Gutherie told the station, and “wanted to do something great in life.”

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“Parents are not allowed to bury their children”

Those who knew Ahliana expressed their condolences to her family on social media on Monday after learning that an arrest had been made in the case.

“This beautiful child did not deserve this,” Tareena Pagan posted on Facebook alongside a photo of a smiling Ahliana. “Prayers for the Smith, Dickey, Rivera and Wetherbee families.”

Ahliana Dicke never made it to graduation

When Ahliana did not show up for the graduation ceremony on Friday, her family became worried and tried to locate her before heading home to find her.

At 6:10 p.m., her grandmother called police to report that Ahliana’s body had been found in the family home. Arriving officers found Ahliana dead on a bedroom floor, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Several shell casings were also found at the scene, Ryan said.

Investigators found that the victim had been “in an abusive relationship” with Bady, Ryan said, and that he had allegedly “beaten and threatened her in the past.” Ryan said the victim confided in several people that Bady had threatened her as recently as the middle of last week.

Killer took Uber to Ahliana Dicke’s house and back

According to a joint press release from the police and prosecutors, police received a call shortly after midnight on Friday from a person reporting an argument between a man and a woman across the street. The caller reported hearing a woman screaming, “Get away from me, get away from me, I don’t want to be with you anymore,” the press release continued. The caller also reported hearing gunshots.

Police arrived at the scene but were unable to locate either the man or the woman. However, video recovered from the area allegedly shows a woman (later identified as the victim) calling for help shortly before midnight and a man (soon identified as the accused) leaving the victim’s home shortly after midnight.

Police also learned that the defendant allegedly drove an Uber to and from the victim’s home before and after the murder. The Uber driver later stated that “he had a suspicious passenger and expressed concern,” prosecutors said, and the passenger was soon identified as the defendant.

On Monday, officials found Bady at a home in Peabody, about 30 miles southeast of where the victim was killed.

According to the press release, he was arrested without incident.

Trevor Bady must appear in court on murder charges

In addition to murder, Bady is also charged with armed burglary of a dwelling, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building.

Prosecutors said Bady will be arraigned in Lowell District Court on Tuesday.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, National hotline for domestic violence cases allows you to speak confidentially with trained advocates online or by phone. This is recommended for those who believe their online activities are being monitored by their abuser (800-799-7233). They can help survivors develop a plan to achieve safety for themselves and their children.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X at @nataliealund.

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