White Springs, Florida — Additional information is now available in the murder of a 16-year-old boy in Columbia County, Florida.
Detectives with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office determined that Nicole Kornegay, 11, assisted her sister, Misty “Ariel” Renee Kornegay, 15, in the murder of their 16-year-old brother, Damien Kornegay, and both teens have been arrested and charged with Premeditated Murder.
On Monday, January 5, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 1205 Sophie Dr. in reference to a report of a person being shot. Once on scene, deputies discovered that a 16-year-old male had been shot to death in the living room.
The investigation was initiated when a White Springs Police Officer contacted Columbia County Dispatch after encountering the two female juveniles in the city of White Springs. While talking with the juveniles, they informed him of a shooting at their residence. Officers Brad Meeks and Joseph Dyes said that the 15-year-old stated, “There might be something wrong my brother at home.”
White Springs police said they began looking for the girls late Monday night after a friend of the family had received a “weird phone call” from the 11-year-old. The friend stated that the girl said she had run away and needed someone to pick her up from a Dollar General store. When the woman arrived, she found the 15-year-old sister there, too.
Police said as they were speaking with the 15-year-old she was applying makeup and showed no emotion. According to reports, she would not make eye contact with police while speaking with them.
Eventually, police said, she began crying and stated that her brother had beaten her, thrown her into her bedroom, and locked the door. When her brother fell asleep, the younger sister let her out. That’s when the teen said she grabbed a gun from her parents’ room and shot her brother. According to reports, the bedroom was locked at the time the teen retrieved the gun.
The 15-year-old was arrested and taken to the Columbia County Detention Facility where she was booked on one count of Premeditated Murder. The 11-year-old was also arrested and charged with Premeditated Murder. She is now the youngest person in Florida to be arrested and charged with murder. One of the sisters is being held at a detention facility in Ocala.
The parents, Keith Kornegay, 37, and Misty Kornegay, 33, were also arrested and charged with Child Neglect for failing to properly supervise their children. Detectives also said the parents of the 15-year-old would lock her in her room with only a blanket, and a bucket to use the bathroom in.
Detectives said the mobile home the family lived in was filthy.
The parents of the children were out of town at the time of the shooting. The dad, who was a truck driver, often left his 16-year-old son in charge of the other children while he and his wife were on the road.
A 3-year-old girl was also removed from the residence and is now in state custody.
Both sisters are being held without bond.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said they are ensuring counselors are available for the sisters.