Students Mourn Teen Found Dead Near Boston

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — A Charlotte teenager's body was found in Milton, Mass., on Monday, the Norfolk District Attorney's Office in Massachusetts confirmed.

Detectives from Milton, which is about 10 miles south of Boston, came to Charlotte on Friday to investigate the possibility that the body was that of Delvonte Tisdale. Tisdale, who was a sophomore at North Mecklenburg High School, was last seen in Charlotte on Nov. 14.

His body was discovered last Monday, which is also when the missing person report about Tisdale was filed. What appeared to be a hall pass bearing Tisdale's name was found in his pocket.

Investigators identified Tisdale from a fingerprint taken from personal items they collected while in Charlotte. Hair and DNA samples were also collected.

Police have not said how Tisdale died or why he was in Massachusetts.

Grief counselors were available Monday for students at North Mecklenburg High School. Many people there are still searching for answers in the case.

Tisdale's ROTC leader, Maj. Mark Miller, described Tisdale as a devoted, polite young man who was always in his ROTC uniform or sweatshirt.

"His goal in writing was that, ‘I want to be a high-ranking Marine officer,'" Miller said.

Miller said Tisdale told him his family had a history of military service. He added that the 16-year-old sometimes spent more than a dozen hours at school in ROTC classes and drills.

"He liked us enough that we had to send him away sometimes in between classes," Miller said.

Tisdale's classmates said they had a moment of silence in his memory on Monday morning.

"We were asked to honor him and remember his name and family," Andrew Touchton said.

Miller said he and the cadets have been hit hard by Tisdale's death. "It's personal," he said.

He said some of the 125 cadets have spoken with grief counselors and that he expects them to organize some kind of vigil or memorial service for Tisdale in the near future.

WSOC