3 charged in 2016 killing of Largo High School graduate Allyssa Banks

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Three men have been charged with murder in the death of a Prince George's County teenager who was gunned down in 2016 just five months after celebrating her high school graduation.

Investigators said 18-year-old Allyssa Banks was with her boyfriend when they were both shot near a parked car along Prince Place on October 19, 2016.

On Thursday, Prince George's County officials announced 21-year-old Josue Vasques of New Carrollton, 23-year-old Daniel Butler of Laurel and 20-year-old Thomas Jenkins of Riverdale were charged with murder in Banks' death. Authorities said Vasques, who was already in custody for an unrelated crime, was indicted by a grand jury for his murder charge.

Banks had graduated from Largo High School, where she was president of the school's Student Government Association earlier that year.

Family and friends of Banks described her as quiet, sweet and kind.

"Whoever did it, they don't know how much of a great person she was to have around and they don't know how she affected many people's lives in Largo and her family and just anywhere she went," said her friend Dyonna Nelson, who spoke with FOX 5 after her death.

Banks was shot across the street from where she lived with her mother. She died a short time after she was hospitalized. Her boyfriend survived the shooting.

Authorities said the motive for the shooting was still under investigation, but detectives believed there was an ongoing feud between two gangs. Banks and her boyfriend were innocent and had no involvement in the feud, according to officials. Investigators said it appeared they were randomly targeted.

Anyone with information that could aid detectives in their investigation was urged to call the Prince George's County's Homicide Unit at (301) 772-4925.