By Holly Yan, Bill Kirkos
(CNN) — In the hours leading up to Miles Young’s death, the 15-year-old thought he was just going to meet up with a girl. Instead, authorities say, he was ambushed in a complex scheme and killed while he pleaded for his life.
“I just don’t wanna die,” the Missouri teen said, according to court documents.
Miles was gunned down last month while being chased by two suspects, a Greene County detective wrote in court filings.
Yefry Archaga and Praize King, both 18, now face first-degree murder charges in connection with Miles’ death. Archaga is also listed as Archaga Elvir and Archaga-Elvir in court documents.
Authorities have not released a motive for the killing. But two witnesses said the girl who lured Miles to the scene of his death “blamed Miles for the death of the victim in a 2025 homicide case,” the detective wrote in a probable cause statement for Archaga.
The killing has become a political flashpoint for supporters of tougher immigration reform/enforcement in Missouri. Archaga, one of the suspects, came to the US from Honduras as a child, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Archaga’s attorney said his client was raised in Missouri, and his background has nothing to do with the case.
Here’s what we know about the tragedy and aftermath:
How the plot unfolded
Archaga, another adult suspect and the female juvenile suspect were driving around Springfield in a dark Mercedes when they discussed “setting up” Miles, the probable cause statement said. Two other juveniles were also in the car.
The five people went to an apartment complex in Springfield to get a second vehicle, belonging to the sister of one of the suspects, the detective wrote.
That’s when the group split up. The young female suspect drove the Mercedes alone to pick up Miles, while the four others got into the second vehicle, the court document says.
Around 2:15 a.m. March 12, the young female suspect arrived at a Springfield home to pick up Miles, “providing him with the belief the two would be having sexual intercourse,” the detective wrote.
At the time, Miles was with a juvenile witness and also on the phone with another, the statement said.
The two witnesses – identified in court documents as “W1” and “W2” – warned Miles against leaving with the girl. Both felt it was a “set up,” as the young female suspect – identified as “J1” – had previously mentioned her dislike for Miles, the probable cause statement said.
“W1 and W2 reported J1 blamed Miles for the death of the victim in a 2025 homicide case.”
The prosecutor in the Miles Young case said he could not comment on any details of the investigation, such as whether or how Miles may have been connected to the 2025 homicide, which 2025 homicide the juveniles were referring to, or whether Miles was set to testify in that case.
“As the Miles Young homicide involves multiple pending criminal cases, and an open criminal investigation, I am not in a position to provide either a statement, or any additional details beyond those which are in publicly available court documents,” Greene County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Joshua Harrel wrote in an email to CNN.
On the day of his death, Miles stayed on the phone with W2 as the young female suspect drove Miles in the Mercedes, the probable cause statement said. They turned onto a street and were blocked by the car with the other suspects.
Miles got out of the Mercedes and fled. He was chased by Archaga, who was wearing a black ski mask and carrying a “Glock-style” pistol, a witness from the other car said. The other adult suspect also got out of the second car and started chasing Miles.
Throughout the chase, Miles was still on the phone with one of the witnesses, who “described hearing Miles fall to the ground or drop his p