Silliman's friends to be sentenced for role in his death

Allegra Rose Dahlquist and Aadil Shahid Khan, both 19, were expected to be sentenced Monday for their roles in the slaying of Matthew Josiah Silliman, 18, whose body was found on Dec. 2, 2008, in an unoccupied property owned by Dahlquist's family.

Both agreed to testify against a co-conspirator, Ryan Patrick Hare, and saw their first-degree murder charge reduced to second-degree.

Hare was found guilty Sept. 24 of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Silliman, who had a diagnosis for depression and bipolar disorder, was reported missing and a Silver Alert for him was issued on Nov. 26, 2008. Arrest warrants said the homicide occurred four days later. Sheriff's deputies acting on a tip to Apex police found his body at 4221 Olive Branch Lane in New Hill.

Dahlquist and Khan were seniors at Apex High School at the time, while Shaw was a sophomore at Panther Creek High School. Hare withdrew from Panther Creek High School in February 2008.

During Hare's trial, prosecutors said that Hare and Dahlquist were once in a romantic relationship and that Hare was jealous of Silliman's close friendship with her.

Defense attorney Joe Cheshire, who represents Dahlquist, described Hare was a ringleader who psychologically manipulated his client.

According to his autopsy, Silliman had lethal amounts of alcohol and a drug commonly prescribed as an anti-depressant in his system when he died. He was found zipped into a sleeping bag, with his hands and feet bound with plastic zip ties and a bag over his head.