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Two Kentucky teenage friends who stuck together until the very end will be buried 'side by side' after an attempt to break up with one of their boyfriends ended in an apparent murder-suicide.
Jedance Hale, 18, and Lila Asher, 19, were both found dead in a car alongside James Priddy, 21, following a police chase in Laurel County on Saturday night.
Priddy took his own life after kidnapping his girlfriend, Asher, and her friend, and forcing them into his red Chevrolet Cobalt, according to the Laurel County Sheriff's Office.
Police were alerted by concerned parents after the trio left a residence in Barbourville, Knox County, to 'go get something to eat.'
Earlier that day, Asher had accompanied Hale to break up with Priddy for moral support, according to WKYT.
Hale's mother called 911 when she learned her daughter was in danger.
'She tells me that they got proof that this female has been trying to leave him all day. Trying to get her,' according to audio obtained by the news outlet. 'This male has took off with her [sic].'
When police caught up to Priddy's car, a 30-minute pursuit ensued on Highway 312.
James Priddy, 21 (right), is believed to have killed his girlfriend, Jedance Hale, 18 (left), and her friend after she attempted to break up with him in Kentucky on Saturday
Lila Asher, 19, above, accompanied Hale for support with the breakup and was also found dead
Hale, above, and Asher shared a 'deep bond' and will be buried 'side by side,' their families said
It ended when police boxed him in, forcing him to strike another vehicle and stop.
Deputies on scene found Priddy, Hale and Asher dead from gunshot wounds to the head inside the car.
'All indications are that apparently James Priddy shot and killed Hale and Asher, then killed himself,' the sheriff's office said.
Hale and Asher were described by their families as two vibrant young women who had a close friendship.
'Lila and Jedance shared a deep bond, always wanting to be together, and their loved ones are determined to honor that wish by holding their funerals side by side,' Hale's relatives said in a GoFundMe.
'Their sudden loss has left their families and friends in shock, struggling to find the words and strength to move forward.'
Priddy's family said on GoFundMe that the 21-year-old was a loving son, brother, uncle and 'a good kid.'
'He brought so much joy to our lives and to those around him. He was the kind of person who would go out of his way to help others, and his smile could light up a room, according to the separate page set up by user Sandy Rice.
Priddy led police on a highway chase for 30 minutes before he was brought to a stop
Hale's mother called 911 after becoming concerned when the trio left a residence in Barbourville, Knox County, to 'go get something to eat'
Hale and Asher (above) were described by their families as two vibrant young women
The deaths shocked the local community, as well as first responders at the scene
'Our family is struggling to cope with this loss, and we want to honor his memory in the best way we can.'
Knox County residents, as well as first responders, were left in shock.
'They're really torn up as well to hear about the passing, about the girls. They're just in shock as much as their families and their friends and everybody," Mackenzie Watts, a friend of Hale and Asher, said to LEX18.
'I can't imagine the grief they're feeling from something like this. It's just unimaginable,' Laurel County Sheriff's Office spokesman Deputy Gilbert Acciardo said, according to the local news outlet.
'But then we had the first responders too that saw what they saw during their investigation. And it was a tough one for us.'
The joint investigation by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Barbourville City Police Department is ongoing.
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