Keyona Griffin was an American murder victim who was killed with her aunt by a suspect, Demon Brown, who still remains at large. Autopsy reports reveal that Keyona, who was born in 1994 and was 25 years old at the time of her death, and her aunt, who was 47, both lost their lives to multiple gunshot wounds.
Three years following the sad death of Griffins and her aunt in their Grand Rapids home in Michigan, there is still yet to be any arrest, and clear information on the motive of the murder and circumstances are still sketchy.
How Did Keyona Griffin Die?
Keyona Griffin lost her life in March 2019 after she was gunned down by her aunt’s boyfriend, Demon Brown. Although the circumstances that led to the murder have remained hidden, there are many things that are known. On the day of the sad incident, a call was placed to the police by Keyona.
In the call, which was made around 10:25 a.m. on March 13, Keyona whispered to the dispatcher that she was in need of help. She also gave her address and told the dispatcher to hurry up because “he” had already killed her aunt and was trying to kill her. The dispatcher assured her that police were going to be sent, and after the woman asked for Keyona’s name, and she gave it, the line was disconnected.
As the dispatcher promised, three police officers were sent to her home. They knocked and received no response. They then tried calling her phone, but the woman was not picking up. Without any success, they went away instead of breaking down the door, an action that would be criticized years later.
Only 2 hours and 18 minutes later, another call came in. The caller was Sandord Cummings II, who stated that there was blood everywhere and his sister was not moving. In the call, he was heard shouting, “Oh, my Lord, please. Keyona, please wake up. Please.” When the police came and searched the house, they found a second body in a room upstairs. The body belonged to Keyona’s aunt, Cherletta Baber-Bey, lying on her bed under a blanket covered in her own blood.
On that day, two of the four people in the home died, leaving Jacqueline Baber-Bey, who was at work, and her grandson, Emareyon Cummings, as the only members who survived the sad onslaught. A year later, another tragedy will strike the home as it was burnt to the ground. The fire incident killed the remaining survivors of the house. While Jacqueline died in the fire, Emareyon died in the hospital.
Autopsy Results Showed That Keyona Griffin Died Of Multiple Gunshot Wounds
As stated, the exact circumstances under which Keyona and her aunt were killed are not known, but autopsies revealed that both of them lost their lives to gunshot wounds. She was said to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds that led to her passing. This was also the fate of her aunt.
Although she was covered in blood and there was much more in the area where she lost her life, details have not been provided on whether there was any struggle between Keyona and her killer or not. More so, the police did not reveal whether neighbors reported hearing any gunshots or not.
At the time of her death, Keyona was 25 years old as she was born on March 8, 1994, in the United States of America. She was of African American ethnic extraction and was born to her mother, Onyah Griffin. The name of her father has not been revealed. The only more detail that is known about her is that she was brought together with a brother named Sandford Cummings II, who discovered her remains.
Who is the Key Suspect in the Murder of Keyona Griffin?
The man who is alleged to be behind the demonic killing of Keyona and her aunt is Derrell Demon Brown, the boyfriend of Keyona’s aunty, whom he also killed. He was born in March 1974 and was raised in Grand Rapids, where he also spent all his life until 2018, when he got involved in a crime that would change many lives forever.
Before the incident, Brown had had a long history of being violent toward women. He has a criminal record that dates back to 2005, when he was arrested and charged with felony assault on a woman who was his live-in girlfriend at the time. According to court documents, the suspected killer bound the woman with cords and then kicked her in the face before he urinated on her. What was crazier was that four kids, one of which she had with Brown, were in the house sleeping upstairs when the incident occurred, He would go on to douse the woman in lighter fluid.
The next day, the woman escaped and fled on her daughter’s school bus, but she begged authorities not to press charges because she still loved her abuser. However, because of the seriousness of the crime, he was charged with felony kidnapping, which came to an end in a plea deal that saw him convicted of a misdemeanor – domestic violence.
Following the report that he was on the run for the double homicide, a Reverend whose name is Robert Dean stated that he once housed Brown after the man came to his church looking disheveled and claiming he was homeless. A place was provided for him, and in return, he helped the church by cutting grass and shoveling snow, among other things.
The reverend revealed that everything was going well until one day when a woman who happened to be Brown’s girlfriend came to report to the reverend that she was scared of him. While they were talking, the man came in and almost attacked her because he warned her from talking to males. It was at that point that Dean sent the man packing, warning him he couldn’t go around terrorizing women.
Demon Is Still On The Run
Years after he killed Keyona and her aunt, Derrell Demon Brown is still on the run. He is wanted by the Grand Rapids Police Department on two counts of murder and receiving and concealing a stolen firearm.
Authorities stated that the murder weapon was found, but the prime suspect has since fled. They believe that he must have fled states and is getting help from family members and others who may be associated with him. On the wanted page, police believe he may be in Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Ohio, or even other places where he has relatives.
The U.S. Marshall has placed him among the most wanted individuals on their list. They indicated that there is a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that would help in his arrest. Any useful tip for the arrest of the suspect is encouraged to be submitted online at usmarshals.gov/tips. Authorities believe that the 5-foot-8 African American also goes by many aliases, including JJ Robinson, Michael Richardson, and Marcus Wright.
