Sheriff: Victim was missing 18-year-old

Investigators today confirmed that the body found Wednesday in an abandoned mobile home in the New Hill community was that of Matthew Josiah Silliman, 18, who had been missing from his home in Apex since Nov. 25.

Authorities say Silliman was murdered but are not ready to release the cause of death, said Phyllis Stephens, spokeswoman for the Wake sheriff's office. Arrest warrants say the killing occurred Sunday.

Meanwhile, a judge this afternoon warned four teenagers today that they could face life in prison if convicted of murder in Silliman's death.

The four teens -- Drew Logan Shaw, 16, of 107 Woolard Way, Apex; Ryan Patrick Hare, 18, of 100 Walnut Hill Court, Apex; Allegra Rose Dahlquist, 17, of 601 Walcott Way, Cary; and Aadil Shahid Khan, 17, of 901 Bristol Blue St., Apex -- are being held in jail without bond.

One by one they appeared before District Court Judge Jane Gray who went over the charges with them and agreed to appoint lawyers for Shaw and Hare. Dahlquist's family has hired lawyer Joe Cheshire, while Khan's family has hired Douglas Kingsbery.

At one point Gray mistakenly told Hare that he could be subject to the death penalty. But Assistant District Attorney Susan Spurlin stepped in to tell the judge the murder occurred before Hare turned 18 on Wednesday. People under 18 cannot be sentenced to death.

"This is all a very tragic situation," Cheshire said outside the courtroom. "There's a lot of suffering to go around."

Cheshire said that he would be meeting with Dahlquist after today's brief appearance.

Kingsbery, who appeared for Khan, said, "I know that Aadil feels terribly sorry for the family of the young man who was killed." He declined to speak further about the case.

All four teens were dressed in jail jumpsuits -- Dahlquist in gray and white and the young men in orange and white.