Parents of teen killed on Gravine Island open up about tragedy

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - The mother and father of Summer Moody opened up in a first time joint interview about the tragedy surrounding their family. Moody was shot 10 months ago on Gravine Island.

“There are some days when it's almost surreal,” said Moody’s mother Terri Lewis. “You can't actually grasp the fact that she's not here. You're tempted to pick up the phone and make a phone call to say, ‘Hey, where you are? What are you doing?’”

The interview comes the same day two of the three teens who were with Moody on the island were granted youthful offender status. Scott Byrd and Daniel Parnell had been charged with felony murder. Dylan Tyree was also charged and has a future court date to discuss the status.

Gravine Island teens granted youthful offender status

An investigation revealed Moody was shot accidentally when three campers on Gravine Island confronted the group of teens. They claim the teens were burglarizing fish camps. Authorities said one of the men fired a warning shot toward a bush, where Moody had been hiding.

The teen was rushed to the hospital and later died around her family.

“I told her before she went to heaven that I'm not going to be able to walk her down the aisle,” said Moody’s father Mark Moody. “But I can walk her down the aisle to Jesus, and that's what I did. I whispered in her ear and said, ’I'm handing her over to, Jesus.’”

Moody’s parents said the teen took her final breathes after her sister told her, ‘It’s ok to let go.’

Nearly 10 months later, following many twists and turns in the case, the family said they are satisfied with the ruling on the teens but have yet to see any action taken against the men who opened fire.

Authorities said Larry Duncan Jr. and William Hearn, both convicted felons, fired the warning shots; one of which hit moody by mistake.

They said the men violated federal law by having a firearm after being convicted with a felony.

State law dictates that a felon can possess a long gun, however, federal law supersedes that.

Moody’s parents said all parties involved share blame and deserve punishment. They said that also applies to the campers.

“She (Summer Moody) paid with her life,” said Mark Moody. “The district attorney’s office is dealing with the three boys. And like I said, we're just hoping and praying that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will deal with the two men who fired the weapons that night, and that they will be held accountable for breaking federal law.”