UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Editor's Note: The above video originally ran on July 7, 2023.
The Union County Sheriff's Office has announced more charges have been filed against the two suspects accused of killing a transgender teen from South Carolina in Monroe.
Deputies said Friday they have added on charges for 25-year-old Joshua Newton and 22-year-old Victoria Smith. Newton, previously charged with 1st-degree murder and obstruction of justice, is now charged with felony conspiracy. Smith, who was charged with obstruction of justice and accessory after the fact, is now charged with 1st-degree murder and felony conspiracy.
18-year-old Jacob Williamson, who was found dead earlier in July, was found after his family and friends in the Greenwood, South Carolina area called the police to report him missing earlier in the month.
Editor's Note: In coverage originally published on July 7, WCNC Charlotte identified Williamson using his deadname, which refers to the name transgender people have used before their transition. At the time of reporting, this was the legal name provided to WCNC Charlotte by family and law enforcement. On July 25, the written words in this article were updated to reflect Williamson's chosen name. The attached video was originally published on July 7 based on the original reporting.
Williamson's mother, Brittney Shealy, told WCNC Charlotte on July 7 she had not talked to her child for a month and a half before Williamson left to live with a family friend.
"It still hurts, it does. It's going to hurt forever because that was my firstborn. We taught each other everything," Shealy told WCNC Charlotte's Jane Monreal. "It hasn't hit me yet fully. I know it will. I just don't know when, but I'm lost."
Investigators said Williamson was last seen getting into a car belonging to Joshua Newton at the end of June.
Lieutenant James Maye, public information officer for Union County Sheriff's Office, said Williamson and Newton met each other online about a month before the disappearance.
After an extensive search, investigators discovered Williamson's body on July 4.
"It's a very rural area, just a back country road," Maye said. "[Williamson] was found about 15 to 20 feet off the side of the road deceased."
Maye said technology and the aid of Williamson's family were instrumental in narrowing down their search.
"I know the family was able to provide some location information based on one of the location apps that they had," Maye explained. "I'm not sure which they had but I know they helped some of our detectives with that."
Shealy said the family planned to cremate Williamson and have a memorial service at a future date.
Williamson was honored in a memorial on July 25 by members of the LGBTQ community in the upstate of South Carolina.