BEULAH, AL – Tragedy struck a quiet Alabama community on December 24 when two teenage stepsisters were discovered shot dead in their home, culminating in the arrest of a nearby resident.

The victims, Kayden Lynch, 19, and Madison Daly, 18, were found lifeless with gunshot wounds at their residence.

Authorities pronounced them dead at the scene. Officers swiftly apprehended 18-year-old Jalen Dashawn Holmes, a neighbor, who now faces capital murder charges and remains detained in the Lee County Jail.

Daly and Lynch, who shared the home, were stepsisters. Daly, a young mother, may have had her toddler nearby during the tragic event, though this is unconfirmed. Prior to the shooting, 9-year-old twin girls were present in the house but departed before the fatal incident. Their connection to the victims remains unspecified.

The incident unfolded on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, with neighbors alerting authorities to gunfire at about 3:48 p.m. Reports indicate Holmes had allegedly attacked his mother before arriving at the home of the victims with a firearm.

Friends of the victims, including Anna Miller, expressed shock over the incident. Miller shared that Lynch had feelings for Holmes, which made his actions all the more unexpected.

In the wake of the tragedy, Daly’s family initiated a GoFundMe campaign to support funeral expenses. The appeal struck a chord, with donations nearing its $5,000 target, as community members expressed their solidarity and grief.

As the investigation continues, Holmes faces grave charges while the community grapples with the sudden loss of two young lives.