The Issiah Ross verdict delivers justice in the Devin Clark murder case, sentencing Ross to decades in prison while the Lyric Woods charge ends in a mistrial.
HILLSBORUGH, N.C. — After years of heartbreak and unanswered questions, justice was finally delivered Thursday in Orange County.
A jury found Issiah Ross, 21, guilty of second-degree murder in the 2022 killing of 18-year-old Devin Clark. Moments after the verdict was read, Ross was led away to serve 20 to 25 years in state prison.
He will receive credit for time already served.
The ruling closes one chapter in a case that has shaken Orange County to its core — but another remains unresolved.
Jury Reaches Verdict After Lengthy Deliberations
The verdict came after nearly 3 weeks of testimony and several days of jury deliberations inside Orange County Superior Court. Prosecutors argued that Ross intentionally killed Clark, acting with malice but without premeditation — meeting the legal threshold for second-degree murder.
Jurors ultimately agreed, rejecting Ross’ claim that he acted in self-defense.
Throughout the trial, the state presented forensic evidence, witness testimony, and crime-scene details that prosecutors said directly contradicted Ross’ version of events. Central to their argument: gunshot wounds that suggested Clark was shot while trying to flee.
Judge Hands Down 20–25 Year Sentence
Following the guilty verdict, Stephanie Reese immediately sentenced Ross to 241 to 300 months in prison.
Issiah Ross Verdict
In addition to the prison term, the judge ordered Ross to undergo a psychological evaluation and granted him access to educational and vocational programs while incarcerated.
Family members of Devin Clark sat in the courtroom as the sentence was announced.
Jury Deadlocks on Lyric Woods Murder Charge
While jurors were able to reach a unanimous verdict in Clark’s killing, they could not agree on the separate murder charge involving Lyric Woods, a 14-year-old girl who also died that night.
Because the jury remained split, Judge Reese declared a mistrial on the Lyric Woods count, leaving prosecutors with the option to retry Ross on that charge at a later date.
A Double Tragedy That Rocked Central North Carolina
Clark and Woods were last seen together on September 17, 2022. Days later, their bodies were discovered on a remote Orange County trail, both suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators eventually identified Ross as a suspect. He was arrested months later in Delaware and extradited back to North Carolina.
Self-Defense Claim Falls Apart in Court
Ross testified that he shot Clark only after witnessing Clark allegedly shoot Woods — a claim prosecutors aggressively challenged.
The state pointed to ballistics evidence, wound trajectories, and witness statements that undermined the self-defense narrative.
Jurors ultimately sided with the evidence.
