2 Teens Face New Charges in Rampage

PEARL, Miss. — Two teenagers were charged Thursday with planning a high school shooting as part of a satanic killing crusade, allegedly convincing the gunman that “murder was a viable means of accomplishing the purposes and goals of the shared belief system,” according to the indictment.

Grant Boyette, 18, and Justin Sledge, 16, were originally charged with murder conspiracy. The new charges, two counts of accessory before the fact of murder, are punishable by life in prison.

Prosecutors have described Boyette as the ringleader of a group, known as the “Kroth,” that practiced satanic worship.

Alleged member Luke Woodham, 16, is charged with stabbing his mother to death in their home on Oct. 1, then going to school and shooting to death two students and wounding seven. Four others were also charged last week with murder conspiracy.