Shangraw and Upton were fatally shot at Shangraw's mobile home in the Hubble community of Lincoln County. Two girls, ages 15 and 16, also were in the trailer at the time. The killings happened the night of Lincoln County High School's homecoming dance. Upton and the girls were students at the school, and Shangraw was a graduate.
Lincoln County Attorney Daryl Day said today he can't divulge the name of the man arrested or say when the court arraignment will be held.
The suspect is believed to be in his early 20s now but was a juvenile when the crime was committed. Because of that, Day said, the man is being treated as a juvenile, at least at this point.
Suspect currently treated as a juvenile
Day said the case has been assigned to district juvenile court and there is a "list of factors" the district judge can consider in order to have the man transferred to regular district court and tried as an adult.
Day said that the "factor" dealing with the seriousness of the crime has been met. However, he said he won't discuss what moves he will make regarding having the case transferred and the man tried as an adult until after the arraignment.
Upton's mother, Sherry Moore, said today she was notified by a phone call from a television news station about the arrest in her son's murder. Moore said she spent most of Sunday morning juggling phone calls from reporters but hung up when KSP Detective Monte Owens finally called her to confirm what she had heard.
Even Moore wasn't told who the suspect is. "They wouldn't say who he is or where he was arrested or what he was charged with," Moore said as she cried. "But I don't care - I just thank God there's been an arrest."
Moore said she is grateful to the media for keeping the case in the spotlight.
Shangraw's father, Rick, said today he thinks there will be a total of four arrested and expects some females to be implicated as well.
"They always thought from the start that there were four of them involved," Shangraw said.
Lincoln County Sheriff Curt Folger declined to comment today about the arrest or the case and referred all questions to KSP.
