LOWELL — Flowers adorned the steps outdoors 1171 Lawrence St. on Saturday afternoon, positioned there in reminiscence of the 15-year-old woman who had been shot to loss of life contained in the first-floor house.
A member of the family discovered the deceased teen, recognized by her family members as Ahliana Dickey, shortly after 6 p.m. Friday.
Authorities revealed the horrific discovery on Saturday afternoon. A murder investigation “is very active at this time,” the Middlesex District Legal professional’s Workplace and the Lowell Police stated in a joint press launch.
Members of Dickey’s household, overcome with grief and combating again tears, gathered outdoors the house on Saturday.
“She was full of life,” stated Dickey’s aunt, Miranda Wetherbee. “She was a beautiful flower.”
{The teenager}’s father, Scott Dickey, stated his daughter, a scholar of Lowell Public Colleges, was set to graduate from the eighth grade the day she was discovered deceased.
“She was a beautiful soul,” he stated. “She was going to be a freshman in high school.”
Ahliana Dickey’s step mom, Stephanie Wetherbee, was consoled by Miranda Wetherbee as she spoke concerning the teen.
“She was 15 years old,” she stated, rising emotional. “A beautiful girl. A young woman, not even blossomed yet. Her whole life ahead of her, and someone took her from us. From all of us.”
The household stated Scott Dickey had tried to pay money for his daughter by cellphone on Friday after discovering out she had not been in class. Unable to succeed in Ahliana Dickey, he reached out to a member of the family who lived close by, so they might run over and verify on the woman.
Authorities stated the member of the family who situated the sufferer reported that she noticed “traumatic injuries” to the woman’s physique. When police arrived on scene they discovered the teenager affected by obvious gunshot wounds. A number of shell casings have been additionally situated.
Later within the evening, investigators have been granted a search warrant for the house.
No arrests have been made, however Ahliana Dickey’s household stated there’s a key suspect being sought.
“One thing about the commonwealth is that they fail a lot of people, but we just pray and hope that we get justice,” Miranda Wetherbee stated. “It needs to be served.”
The household stated they have been advised by neighbors that that they had heard an altercation and potential gunshots within the space round midnight on Friday.
A person who lived close by, who wished to stay nameless, advised The Solar that his son had heard what he thought have been gunshots sooner or later round that point as properly. Shortly later, he noticed police patrolling the realm on the intersection of Lawrence and Woburn streets, close by 1171 Lawrence St.
Reviews of a combat involving a male and a feminine outdoors in that space — reported by a neighbor — got here in an emergency radio broadcast at about 12:15 a.m. Friday. Police responded, however the final result of the decision is unclear based mostly on the published.
The neighbor, who wished to stay nameless, stated gunshots in that part of South Lowell are remarkable. He identified that he has lived within the neighborhood for almost all of his life.
“I hate to see someone’s kid like that taken away from them,” he added.
The investigation is being performed by the Lowell Police, the Middlesex District Legal professional’s Workplace, and the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Middlesex DA’s Workplace.
Comply with Aaron Curtis on X, previously often called Twitter, @aselahcurtis
