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2 charged with murders of 2 teens in White Lake Township

Posted at 4:12 PM, May 25, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-25 17:41:50-04

CLARKSTON, Mich. (WXYZ) — Two teens face the possibility of life in prison for the murders of two Highland Township teens. Jesse Wright and Steven Morrow, both 18 years old, were charged Wednesday in the Oakland County 52-2 District Court.

The murders happened Saturday morning in White Lake Township at Cedarbrook Estates Mobile Home Park.

Investigators say Cameron Duckworth, 19, and 16-year-old Drake Mancuso were shot multiple times.

The judge charged Wright and Morrow with felony murder, armed robbery and felony firearm.

After the arraignment, Cameron's mother Emily Duckworth spoke with 7 Action News.

"I’ll never have my baby back, ever," she sobbed. "But I do feel like justice so far is being served, and I really would like to commend the White Lake Police Department."

“(Cameron) took Drake under his wing. Him and Drake were great friends and I think he just… he wouldn’t have been associated with those two. He wouldn’t have been where he was. I’m not sure if he knew if those two were going to be there," she said.

Investigators said the four teens agreed to go to a wooded area of the park near a pond. Police identified Morrow as the trigger man and Wright was the getaway driver.

Duckworth blames drugs, toxic music and poor parenting for the suspects’ alleged actions and says her neighbor’s surveillance camera spotted Morrow acting strangely prior to the crimes.

“But I know that Steven (Morrow) was on that camera looking in my windows the day before and spending quite a lot of time at my house. I’ve heard that. I think that there was just a bit of envy or jealousy there for some reason and that’s very sad and I think mental health problems had to exist before then because normal people don’t do this," she said.

Duckworth said the judge denying bond for both suspects was "the best choice."

Wright and Morrow are due back in court June 7 for their probable cause hearing.