Two Roan Mountain teens have been charged with murder in connection with the death  of a 56-year-old man who was found lifeless on his front porch Friday morning.

Anthony Joseph Lacey, 18, and Demtrice Dontrial Cordell, 19, were arrested late Friday night by officers of the Carter County Sheriff’s Department. Lacey and Cordell have each been charged with first degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, evading arrest, and two counts of theft of property.

Both subjects are currently being held in the Carter County Detention Center under a $210,000 bond.

The charges against the two teens stem from a murder investigation which began earlier that day after 56-year-old Danny R. Vance, of 690 Heaton Creek Road, Roan Mountain, was found deceased on his front porch by family members on Friday morning.

Carter County Sheriff Chris Mathes said his officers were dispatched to the residence at approximately 11 a.m. and began their investigation.

“Evidence at the scene indicated that the victim had been beaten, murdered and subsequently burglarized and robbed,” Mathes said. “After an extensive all day investigation at the crime scene and throughout Roan Mountain, the investigation led officers to a residence on Hampton Creek.

“A manhunt ensued and led Sheriff Mathes and deputies from Hampton Creek to a wooded area near Townsend Road where the Carter County Sheriff’s Office apprehended two adults who are further identified as Anthony Lacy, age 18, and Demetrice Cordell age 19, both of Roan Mountain, Tennessee.”

Mathes said based on a preliminary investigation, investigators are looking at a time frame of about 12 hours when the crime could have occurred, adding that it is believed the incident occurred during the night. Mathes said an autopsy has been ordered to confirm cause of death and give investigators a better idea of the time of death.

The investigation is ongoing at this time, Mathes said, and additional information may become available.

The Sheriff’s Department received assistance with the investigation from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations and the Tennessee Department of Corrections’ K-9 division.

Earlier in the day on Friday, Mathes had requested that anyone who had noticed any suspicious activity in the area of the crime to contact the Sheriff’s Department. “We are asking for anyone who saw or heard anything to contact us if they think there is even a slight chance it could be related,” Mathes said. “We do know there were some other criminal activities that occurred in the Roan Mountain community last night, thefts, entering cars, those sorts of things.

“We don’t know if they may be related but we are leaving no stone unturned.”