Orange County jury began deliberations on Thursday in the double-murder trial of Issiah Mekhi Ross, who is now standing trial for the murders of Lyric Woods and Devin Clark, the two teenage victims in the case.
Friday morning, they asked to see victims’ autopsy reports to review locations of the wounds. They also asked to have replayed the recorded interview with Christian Sykes from September 19, 2022, where Ross is alleged to have confessed to his friend about committing the murders.
Friday afternoon, they asked for two more things – a report from one of the investigators and a transcript of the defendant’s testimony. This time, however, the judge rejected the requests – first because the requested report had never been entered into evidence and because the transcript hasn’t been typed up yet.
At about 5:20, the judge recessed the court for the weekend. Courts in Orange and Chatham counties have been cancelled preemptively for Monday, so the earliest they will reconvene is next Tuesday, January 27. The jury had deliberated about 5½ hours since they began Thursday afternoon.
• Here’s a summary of the closing arguments, instructions to jury, and their initial questions back to the judge: https://alamancenews.com/jurors-in-double-murder-case-begin-deliberations/
Here’s this week’s coverage in the Jan. 22, 2026 edition. Check back later for potential verdict.
- Issiah Mekhi Ross, the former Eastern Alamance High School student who’s charged with double murder, took the witness stand this week to testify: https://alamancenews.com/defendant-takes-stand-in-double-murder-case/
- Meanwhile, his friend and sometime lover testified that Ross confessed to the murders the day after having committed them: https://alamancenews.com/former-friend-male-lover-testifies-that-defendant-confessed-double-murders-to-him-days-after/
Last week’s stories:
- Parents reveal growing dread as they hadn’t heard from their teenagers: https://alamancenews.com/double-murder-trial-testimony-day-1-grieving-parents-relay-growing-concerns-when-they-couldnt-reach-their-teens/
- Difficulty in seeking juvenile suspect leads to change in state law, named for murder victims: https://alamancenews.com/murder-case-prompts-legislators-to-change-wanted-law/
