‘A Heartbreaking Loss’: Black Missouri Girl Found Dead in the Woods As Group of Mostly White Suspects Face Kidnapping and Murder Charges

Authorities have released a new detail in the heartbreaking death of a Black Missouri teen that raises even more suspicion about the alleged ringleader, who is being held without bond at the Randolph County Jail in Huntsville.

On May 13, 16-year-old Kayla Huff’s lifeless body was discovered in the wilderness of a “densely wooded” conservation zone near her home in Moberly. Her parents reported her missing on May 6, and the next day, four adults who were “known acquaintances” of Kayla were taken into custody, though murder charges had not yet been filed.

The primary suspect, Alayna Mason, 20, had a visible rash at the time of her arrest that appeared to be poison ivy. It continued to get worse while she was in custody. According to a probable cause statement cited by People, she told jail staff she got it from being in the woods. It was one of many incriminating details investigators have uncovered as they build their case.

‘It’s Just a Sad, Sad Case:’ Family Sues Hospital, Doctor After 18-Year-Old Dies After Pine Needles, Moss and Twigs Were Stitched Into His Arm

Alayna’s charges have since been upgraded to first-degree murder and kidnapping, along with one of her accused accomplices, Hunter Ames, 19.

Christopher Hull, 23, and Julian Mason, 26, were both charged with first-degree kidnapping, among other offenses. And on May 19, a fifth suspect, Skyler W. Powell, was arrested for helping to hide Alayna.

The horrifying death of the girl, described by her parents as a “bright presence” and a “cherished sister,” has shocked the country, as more information comes to light through the suspects’ probable cause affidavits.

According to court records obtained by the outlet, events began to unfold on May 5, the day before the kidnapping, when Alayna and Hull allegedly arrived at Kayla’s residence and poured motor oil into the gas tank of her vehicle, rendering it immobile. The next day, Alayna, alongside an accomplice, allegedly forced her into the trunk of a car and drove her to the nearby Rudolf Bennitt Conservation area, where, according to the statements, she was dragged, assaulted with an expandable baton, and shot.

‘There’s No Explanation for That’: Georgia High School Teacher Fired After Calling a Black Student a Racial Slur in Secretly Recorded Video

In a probable cause affidavit, Ames allegedly admitted to helping kidnap Kayla and also supplying the pistol when Alayna told him she needed to “take care of” the situation. Police said they recovered one weapon, the expandable baton, at Hull’s residence.

A GoFundMe set up by Kayla’s loved ones said her family was “broken” and “struggling to come to terms with such a heartbreaking loss.” The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office also spoke about the loss, saying in a May 14 news release, “This case has deeply impacted our community, and the men and women involved in this investigation.” They added that the investigation remains “active and ongoing.”

Ames, Hull, and Mason are scheduled to appear in court on June 1, and Alayna Mason’s next court appearance is set for June 22.