COLUMBIA CO, Fla. — An arrest was made in the death of a Columbia County teen who was found murdered in South Florida.
18-year-old Lora Grace Duncan, who friends said went by Grace, was found shot to death inside a Hilton hotel room in Riviera Beach Thursday morning.
Friends of Duncan said she had a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul. Haylee Land said she used to be best friends with Duncan in elementary school.
“She was so sweet,” Land said. “She was bubbly and really kindhearted.”
Friday, Michael Troy Hutto, 54, was located in Jacksonville where he was arrested for manslaughter, according to the Riviera Beach Police Department.
The agency said Hutto was found to be suffering a medical emergency and was transported to a Jacksonville Hospital.
The Florida Highway Patrol posted pictures of his arrest on Twitter. FHP said he was arrested at Baptist South and was transported to the Duval County jail.
Multiple sources tell Action News Jax Hutto is the co-founder of the Salt Life brand, which was started in Jacksonville Beach.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said Duncan’s worried parents contacted the agency Monday for a well-being check on their daughter who left town with a known individual.
Detectives learned Duncan was possibly in Palm Beach County. The agency contacted the Riviera Beach Police Department, which found Duncan’s remains during a well-being check at a hotel located at 3700 North Ocean Dr.
Right now, we’re working to figure out how Duncan and Hutto met.
Land said she used to be friends with one of Hutto’s daughters and would go to their house. She recalled her previous interactions with him.
“He seemed nice, but he just gave me weird vibes,” land said. “I really didn’t want to be around him.”
Jail records show Hutto is set to make his first appearance Saturday morning.