An image from the Facebook page of Sarah Harper, the girlfriend of Australian baseballer Chris Lane. Supplied: FACEBOOK Source: Supplied
THERE has been a major breakthrough in the murder of Australian baseballer Chris Lane in Oklahoma, US police say.
The oldest of the accused trio, a 17-year-old, allegedly confessed he drove the car during the drive-by shooting on Friday afternoon local time, and his 16-year-old accomplice pulled the trigger on a handgun, Duncan Police Chief Danny Ford said this morning.
The teenagers, along with a 15-year-old, are being held in the Stephens County Jail in the Oklahoma town of Duncan.
"At 3.30pm yesterday the 17-year-old advised a jailer he wanted to talk," Chief Ford told AAP.
"He said he was the driver of the car.
"They saw Christopher jog by the house they were at, they chose him to be the target, they got in the car, drove up behind him and shot him in the back.
"He said the 16-year-old fired the shot."
The three teenagers were due to appear in a local court over the shooting at 1.30pm Monday (4.30am Tuesday AEST), but it has been pushed back a day.
A spokesperson for District Attorney Jason Hicks said the charges were still being reviewed.
Parents of two of the boys accused of the killing believe their sons are innocent.
"I don't believe he was there because of the time frame," one of the boy's mothers told reporters outside the Stephens County Courthouse today.
"I don't believe my son did it," the father of another boy said.
The parents of the teens sent their condolences to Lane's family in Australia and Lane's American girlfriend Sarah Harper.
"My prayers go out to them," the father said.
"I have lost several loved ones recently myself. I feel sorry for the individuals and family."
Chris Lane was gunned down in Duncan, Oklahoma. Source: Supplied
If convicted of first-degree murder, the boys face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The boys can be tried as adults, but the spokesperson said because they are under the age of 18 they can't face a death sentence.
Ms Harper today said the accused "will be taken care of eventually".
Speaking from Duncan, Ms Harper said she wasn't thinking about the killers at the moment.
"I don't really care what happens to them,'' she told the Nine Network.
"I feel that if they don't get what they deserve now in the present they will eternally.
"They're evil people and they'll be taken care of eventually.''
It comes amid claims Lane was the victim of a gang-related drive-by shooting gone wrong.
Outside the court a woman told reporters the three accused teens had a falling out with a fellow gang member.
She told Channel Nine the teens were angry when they set out and wanted her brother dead.
"I guess he has hung out with gang-affiliated people. I don't know if he's really claimed it or tried to be like them so that might be a reason why they're after him," she said.
However Chief Ford yesterday said the accused "just wanted to kill someone".
Chief Ford said the three teens had no motive other than to ''make a name for themselves'' and were on their way to another house to murder a second, unrelated victim when they were arrested.
Lane's death a tragedy with no rhyme or reason
Christopher Lane’s mother and sister. Source: News Limited
Lane, 22, had been in the US on a baseball sports scholarship with East Central University (ECU) as the team's catcher.
He was jogging through an area of "high dollar homes" after leaving Ms Harper's home, when he was followed and shot.
Witnesses saw him stumble across the road and then go down on his knees before struggling to a drainage area at the side of the road.
'I love you so much': girlfriend's moving tribute to baseball star
A woman who came from a nearby house tried CPR while another woman who was in a car stopped and called 911.
Chris Lane RIP: Facebook tribute page
Ms Harper said this morning she was still trying to come to terms with the senseless crime.
"It's hard to imagine anyone could think of doing anything like this," she told ABC News Breakfast.
"I have no idea who they are, never heard of them, didn't know anything about them until all this happened.
"It's sick that they could do something like this, to see him run by and just pick him.
"I don't want to know what they look like."
The distraught college student said she would come back to Australia to farewell Lane with his family.
"I'm probably going to go back and say goodbye with the people he loved the most," she said.
"It was a great time getting back there and seeing him in his element with all his favourite friends.
"It's going to be hard going back but it's something I need to do.
"Thank you to everyone who supported and loved Chris. I really appreciated it."
A tribute left on the home plate at Essendon Bombers Baseball field for murdered Melbourne baseballer Christopher Lane. Source: News Limited
Chief Ford said yesterday the attack was not racially motivated.
"It was just three clowns who got together and decided to kill,'' he said.
Chief Ford said the police had released the body but was unsure of plans to repatriate Lane's body back to Melbourne.
He also said the killer left a chilling message on Facebook before the spree - "Bang. Two drops in two hours".
"They wanted to be Billy Bob Badasses," Chief Ford said yesterday.
"I think they were on a killing spree.
"We would have had more bodies that night if we didn't get them.
Christopher Lane with girlfriend, Sarah Harper. Supplied: Facebook Source: Supplied
"Lately there has been some pretty weak motives, but I don't know that I've had one that they told us they were just going to kill somebody.
"I know everybody thinks there has to be a reason, but I've been in this business for 30 years and there doesn't have to be a reason with these kids.
"It is a sad, sad thing what happened with that young man."
Yesterday, shocked family and friends were trying to make sense of the tragedy.
Lane, who grew up in Oak Park in Melbourne's north had only been back in the States for three days after an eight-week spring break in Australia with Ms Harper.
Ms Harper wrote a moving tribute on Facebook.
"The past 4 years have been the most amazing years of my life and that's all because of you babe," she wrote.
"I love you so much babe. From 2009 until forever you will always be mine and in a very special and protected place in my heart."
Peter Lane paid tribute to his son and said the family was still waiting on news from the US authorities regarding the repatriation of the body.
Christopher Lane’s devastated family. Source: News Limited
"There is not going to be any good come out of this. It was so senseless. There was nothing he did or could have done," Mr Lane said.
"It's happened. It's wrong and we just try and deal with it the best we can."
Flowers and a baseball were placed on the home plate at Essendon Baseball Club yesterday morning with a message. "A wonderful young man taken too soon," it read. "Why?"
College friend Marshall Veal added Lane had "brought light to each of us''.
"Lanes would have done anything in the world for all of us and we would do the same, he was a best friend, teammate, and most of all a Brother. We love you Laney."
Local Bill Renfrow, who lives just metres from the intersection where Lane was shot, said Duncan locals had erected a flower memorial for him at the site of the attack.
"It's sad to us, more than anything. It's shocking. He was a visitor in our country," he said.
"This is a very quiet neighbourhood, there's never any trouble here."
Essendon Baseball Club's match against the University of Melbourne on Sunday will be turned into a tribute to Lane to raise money for the family.
- with Samantha Landy and Andy Burns
Christopher Lane and girlfriend, Sarah Harper. Supplied: Facebook Source: Supplied
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