1 00:00:11,545 --> 00:00:12,845 [boy 1 speaking] 2 00:00:12,947 --> 00:00:16,982 [narrator] this is the story of a young girl with big dreams. 3 00:00:18,753 --> 00:00:21,387 I believe keonte could have done 4 00:00:21,489 --> 00:00:24,456 Anything that she wanted to put her mind to. 5 00:00:24,558 --> 00:00:26,158 [boy 2 speaking] 6 00:00:27,261 --> 00:00:29,261 [narrator] and a big family to raise her. 7 00:00:30,197 --> 00:00:31,730 [woman speaking] 8 00:00:33,234 --> 00:00:36,468 [narrator] but, when one night their backs are turned... 9 00:00:36,570 --> 00:00:38,303 [operator speaking] 10 00:00:38,406 --> 00:00:39,838 [man speaking] 11 00:00:42,610 --> 00:00:43,876 I know something was wrong. 12 00:00:44,779 --> 00:00:46,945 [narrator] a wolf in sheep's clothing... 13 00:00:47,048 --> 00:00:50,449 The predators, they're not always on the outside of your family. 14 00:00:51,952 --> 00:00:53,152 ...Will be ready to strike. 15 00:00:54,355 --> 00:00:57,222 [courtney] did this really happen to us? 16 00:00:57,324 --> 00:01:00,592 To us? This family? Did this really happen? 17 00:01:01,328 --> 00:01:03,328 [theme music playing] 18 00:01:15,843 --> 00:01:16,909 [woman speaking] 19 00:01:17,011 --> 00:01:19,912 [narrator] November 4th, 1995 20 00:01:20,014 --> 00:01:22,181 In newburgh, new york... 21 00:01:22,283 --> 00:01:23,782 [woman speaking] 22 00:01:26,787 --> 00:01:29,688 [narrator] keonte chavis has just turned one. 23 00:01:31,425 --> 00:01:35,828 Keonte's first birthday party was held at grandma mary's house 24 00:01:35,930 --> 00:01:37,129 In newburgh, new york. 25 00:01:39,433 --> 00:01:41,633 [narrator] keonte is a little camera shy 26 00:01:44,538 --> 00:01:47,973 And quickly looks for her adoring father, tone. 27 00:01:49,710 --> 00:01:51,376 [woman speaking] 28 00:01:52,546 --> 00:01:54,046 [tone] my mother was there. 29 00:01:54,148 --> 00:01:59,051 Her thing back then was she would try to video record things 30 00:01:59,153 --> 00:02:03,555 So she could have it as something to look back later on in the years. 31 00:02:04,925 --> 00:02:08,026 [narrator] for tone, every moment with his daughter is precious. 32 00:02:10,331 --> 00:02:13,966 [tone] the early days of keonte being a baby was a marvel. 33 00:02:14,068 --> 00:02:17,169 It was like every day was something different. 34 00:02:17,271 --> 00:02:18,704 Like watching her grow, 35 00:02:18,806 --> 00:02:21,907 Watching her say things, watching her do things. 36 00:02:22,009 --> 00:02:23,342 She was exploring the world 37 00:02:23,410 --> 00:02:28,814 And already, like, trying to understand things quickly. 38 00:02:28,916 --> 00:02:30,516 I was very proud of her. 39 00:02:31,785 --> 00:02:33,018 [woman speaking] 40 00:02:34,421 --> 00:02:36,255 -[all singing] -[crying] 41 00:02:38,025 --> 00:02:39,625 [narrator] as the family sing, 42 00:02:39,727 --> 00:02:42,461 Little keonte warms up to the attention. 43 00:02:54,742 --> 00:02:58,911 Keonte's mom, 17-year-old nikisha grissom holds her. 44 00:03:06,220 --> 00:03:08,153 [tone] in the '90s, 45 00:03:08,255 --> 00:03:13,258 Newburgh was kind of caught up in the crack epidemic, 46 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:14,760 So it was kind of crazy. 47 00:03:16,530 --> 00:03:21,066 A lot of people had lost jobs, unemployed, 48 00:03:21,168 --> 00:03:22,968 High drug addiction. 49 00:03:23,837 --> 00:03:25,204 But it wasn't a bad city. 50 00:03:25,306 --> 00:03:27,639 It's just... It was going through a crisis. 51 00:03:27,741 --> 00:03:28,941 [siren wailing] 52 00:03:33,314 --> 00:03:37,983 [narrator] but when nikisha and tone met back in 1993, 53 00:03:38,586 --> 00:03:41,920 Young love was enough. 54 00:03:42,022 --> 00:03:44,456 [nikisha] what I liked about tone is I thought he was cute 55 00:03:44,558 --> 00:03:48,994 And I thought he had swag and he had an outgoing personality. 56 00:03:49,096 --> 00:03:51,330 [tone] I seen her out in front of her house and stuff 57 00:03:51,432 --> 00:03:54,633 And, you know, I just thought that she was a nice person, 58 00:03:54,735 --> 00:03:58,237 So I introduced myself and got to know her. 59 00:03:59,573 --> 00:04:02,341 The young couple are surprised with a blessing. 60 00:04:04,445 --> 00:04:06,778 [nikisha] when I found out I was pregnant, I was nervous. 61 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,281 I was scared. I didn't know what my parents were gonna think 62 00:04:09,383 --> 00:04:11,650 Or my grandmother. That's who I lived with. 63 00:04:11,752 --> 00:04:14,653 And I didn't know how she was going to feel about it. 64 00:04:14,755 --> 00:04:19,891 [tone] I was shocked because I didn't know what to expect of that responsibility. 65 00:04:19,994 --> 00:04:22,427 Will I be a good dad? Will I be a bad dad? 66 00:04:23,797 --> 00:04:27,599 [nikisha] when keonte was born, I was still kind of scared. 67 00:04:27,701 --> 00:04:29,268 Being a first mom and being so young, 68 00:04:29,370 --> 00:04:33,272 But I thought it was the greatest experience I've ever had. 69 00:04:34,341 --> 00:04:35,907 [tone speaking] 70 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:40,746 [tone] becoming a father changed me 71 00:04:40,848 --> 00:04:44,349 Because it made me feel like now I have a purpose. 72 00:04:47,855 --> 00:04:51,156 [narrator] keonte's godmother, faika, cuts the cake. 73 00:04:53,794 --> 00:04:55,827 But family joker uncle darrell 74 00:04:55,929 --> 00:04:58,430 Doesn't think keonte should wait to get a taste. 75 00:04:59,667 --> 00:05:01,233 [woman speaking] 76 00:05:07,574 --> 00:05:09,007 My girlfriend at that time 77 00:05:09,109 --> 00:05:12,644 Nicknamed keonte "booby-yon." so that's what we called her. 78 00:05:14,982 --> 00:05:16,715 [narrator] after the cake and candles, 79 00:05:16,817 --> 00:05:20,118 Tone makes the most of his time playing dad 80 00:05:23,424 --> 00:05:26,024 And goes through a fatherly ritual. 81 00:05:27,828 --> 00:05:31,530 [tone] back then, they used to make these toys so hard to get to, 82 00:05:31,632 --> 00:05:34,066 You had to unscrew a whole bunch of different things 83 00:05:34,168 --> 00:05:36,101 Just to get to the batteries and stuff, 84 00:05:37,504 --> 00:05:42,040 But it just made me feel good as a father. 85 00:05:42,142 --> 00:05:43,742 [babbling happily] 86 00:05:48,148 --> 00:05:51,316 Keonte's great-grandmother mary watches over her. 87 00:05:51,418 --> 00:05:52,984 [woman speaking] 88 00:05:53,087 --> 00:05:55,987 [nikisha] back in the early '90s, I lived with my grandmother growing up. 89 00:05:56,090 --> 00:05:58,156 She's a very passionate person, 90 00:05:58,258 --> 00:06:00,058 A very caring and kind person, 91 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,694 And she loves to help people. 92 00:06:03,664 --> 00:06:05,731 She was the one that everyone goes to 93 00:06:05,833 --> 00:06:07,065 When they have problems or issues. 94 00:06:07,167 --> 00:06:10,936 She was just that go-to person. 95 00:06:11,038 --> 00:06:13,939 [narrator] great-grandmother mary and nikisha's mother gail 96 00:06:14,041 --> 00:06:15,807 Often take care of keonte 97 00:06:15,909 --> 00:06:18,844 While tone works and nikisha's at school. 98 00:06:22,950 --> 00:06:25,584 [tone] grandma mary was like the head of the family, 99 00:06:25,686 --> 00:06:27,419 The enforcer of the family, 100 00:06:27,521 --> 00:06:28,887 The judge of the family, 101 00:06:28,989 --> 00:06:30,822 The person that called the shots. 102 00:06:30,924 --> 00:06:33,892 And you don't question grandma mary. 103 00:06:33,994 --> 00:06:36,328 Whatever she say is the law. 104 00:06:37,698 --> 00:06:40,365 [narrator] the family is all smiles for the camera. 105 00:06:41,969 --> 00:06:45,537 But a sad truth is about to bring a difficult decision. 106 00:06:46,774 --> 00:06:49,708 Kisha and I, we dated, 107 00:06:49,810 --> 00:06:54,346 And things just kind of went its own way, 108 00:06:54,448 --> 00:06:58,016 I guess because I was kind of young and felt invincible, 109 00:06:58,118 --> 00:07:01,086 Like I could have the world. 110 00:07:02,890 --> 00:07:05,690 [narrator] a few years after this video was taken, 111 00:07:05,793 --> 00:07:09,227 Tone and nikisha amicably split. 112 00:07:09,329 --> 00:07:12,230 [nikisha] we no longer was interested in each other. 113 00:07:13,467 --> 00:07:16,134 And, you know, we both went our separate ways. 114 00:07:17,771 --> 00:07:21,640 [narrator] in 1999, nikisha starts college in atlanta. 115 00:07:23,043 --> 00:07:25,577 So great-grandma mary and grandmother gail 116 00:07:25,679 --> 00:07:29,714 Agree to take care of keonte full-time. 117 00:07:29,817 --> 00:07:32,083 [nikisha] it wasn't a difficult decision. 118 00:07:32,186 --> 00:07:34,820 She was so close to my grandmother. 119 00:07:34,922 --> 00:07:38,490 That bond I guess was just like the bond I had with my grandmother, 120 00:07:38,592 --> 00:07:40,192 So I was okay with it. 121 00:07:40,627 --> 00:07:42,027 [siren wailing] 122 00:07:42,129 --> 00:07:43,829 [narrator] but by the mid-2000s, 123 00:07:43,931 --> 00:07:47,165 Newburgh has one of the highest crime rates in america. 124 00:07:50,537 --> 00:07:52,938 Grandmother mary makes the difficult decision 125 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,208 To move keonte to the safety of her hometown, 126 00:07:57,311 --> 00:07:59,344 Phenix city, alabama. 127 00:08:01,014 --> 00:08:03,014 [tone] that was a hard one to swallow, 128 00:08:03,684 --> 00:08:06,117 But a part of me knew that 129 00:08:06,220 --> 00:08:08,620 Maybe that was the best thing, to get her out of here 130 00:08:08,722 --> 00:08:12,190 So she could have a better chance at a better quality of life. 131 00:08:14,361 --> 00:08:18,697 [courtney] moving to alabama is like night and day. 132 00:08:18,799 --> 00:08:20,265 Forests and trees 133 00:08:20,367 --> 00:08:24,903 And one time some deer mating in the front yard. 134 00:08:25,005 --> 00:08:28,440 But... [chuckles softly] night and day. 135 00:08:30,143 --> 00:08:32,210 [narrator] thanksgiving 2006, 136 00:08:34,147 --> 00:08:36,281 12-year-old keonte chavis' family 137 00:08:36,383 --> 00:08:39,317 Have reunited at her grandmother mary's house. 138 00:08:39,419 --> 00:08:40,519 [boy speaking] 139 00:08:40,954 --> 00:08:42,988 [girl speaking] 140 00:08:43,090 --> 00:08:45,724 [narrator] that's grandma mary there with the glasses, 141 00:08:47,027 --> 00:08:49,060 With her son darrell. 142 00:08:49,162 --> 00:08:51,096 -[darrell speaking] -[man speaking] 143 00:08:53,567 --> 00:08:54,733 [narrator] now in phenix city, 144 00:08:54,835 --> 00:08:58,003 Keonte is closer than ever to second cousin courtney. 145 00:09:00,841 --> 00:09:03,842 That's courtney standing there in the red with daughter lexi. 146 00:09:05,812 --> 00:09:07,746 [courtney] she was my cousin technically, 147 00:09:07,848 --> 00:09:12,217 But it just doesn't seem like a good enough term. 148 00:09:13,353 --> 00:09:16,154 She was closer to me than that. 149 00:09:17,024 --> 00:09:19,524 I guess I was like her aunt, you know. 150 00:09:20,961 --> 00:09:22,994 [keonte speaking] 151 00:09:23,096 --> 00:09:26,031 [narrator] out in the yard, keonte, growing taller by the day, 152 00:09:26,133 --> 00:09:29,100 Braves the cold with her cousin, todd, in the striped shirt. 153 00:09:29,202 --> 00:09:30,669 And his brother tyson. 154 00:09:36,276 --> 00:09:38,743 [tone] she loved basketball. 155 00:09:38,845 --> 00:09:43,415 It started from michael jordan's space jam. 156 00:09:43,517 --> 00:09:48,687 And she used to watch that movie over and over and over again. 157 00:09:49,222 --> 00:09:50,722 [girl speaking] 158 00:09:54,461 --> 00:09:55,627 [todd speaking] 159 00:10:07,140 --> 00:10:08,974 [tone] oh, yeah. She could hold her own. 160 00:10:11,144 --> 00:10:14,512 I'm proud because she really knew how to handle the ball. 161 00:10:16,850 --> 00:10:18,717 [narrator] keonte can be a shy kid. 162 00:10:21,221 --> 00:10:24,456 But surrounded by her family and on the basketball court, 163 00:10:24,558 --> 00:10:26,691 Her personality shines through. 164 00:10:27,327 --> 00:10:29,361 [kids clamoring] 165 00:10:29,463 --> 00:10:33,665 You know, she was quiet, but she had a huge presence. 166 00:10:35,302 --> 00:10:37,836 [narrator] keonte puts passion to practice 167 00:10:38,905 --> 00:10:41,106 And joins the team in high school. 168 00:10:43,310 --> 00:10:47,312 She had dreams of going to college for basketball. 169 00:10:49,149 --> 00:10:50,915 [narrator] but the end of the basketball season 170 00:10:51,018 --> 00:10:53,351 Brings a devastating twist of fate. 171 00:10:54,621 --> 00:10:57,022 Keonte sustained an injury while playing basketball. 172 00:10:57,124 --> 00:11:00,158 She fell on her leg and she messed her knee up. 173 00:11:02,195 --> 00:11:06,498 And after that, she just didn't go back to playing. 174 00:11:08,735 --> 00:11:13,838 [narrator] in a split second, keonte's hoop dreams have been shattered. 175 00:11:13,940 --> 00:11:15,907 [nikisha] it was really tough seeing her... 176 00:11:16,009 --> 00:11:19,077 Something she was passionate about and she no longer could do. 177 00:11:20,113 --> 00:11:22,013 She did lose confidence after that. 178 00:11:30,891 --> 00:11:33,558 [narrator] 2007 in atlanta, georgia. 179 00:11:35,095 --> 00:11:37,028 [children speaking] 180 00:11:40,934 --> 00:11:44,703 [narrator] its keonte's cousin aja's preschool graduation. 181 00:11:46,373 --> 00:11:47,772 There's keonte. 182 00:11:49,743 --> 00:11:53,378 And there's mom courtney, ready to take a photo of the big moment. 183 00:11:55,048 --> 00:11:59,284 Aja was graduating pre-k. She was six. 184 00:11:59,386 --> 00:12:03,254 Keonte was there, you know. She showed up for aja. 185 00:12:03,356 --> 00:12:07,859 She seemed to take an interest to help aja when she was little. 186 00:12:10,130 --> 00:12:11,262 [audience cheering] 187 00:12:11,765 --> 00:12:12,997 [boy speaking] 188 00:12:19,973 --> 00:12:24,509 [narrator] straight a student keonte has been a big inspiration for aja. 189 00:12:24,611 --> 00:12:28,480 [tone] keonte was a person who cared about getting good grades. 190 00:12:28,582 --> 00:12:30,715 She was just very motivated and driven 191 00:12:30,817 --> 00:12:35,120 That she was going to get an education and achieve some of her goals. 192 00:12:36,556 --> 00:12:37,956 [narrator] since her knee injury, 193 00:12:38,058 --> 00:12:41,259 Keonte has put basketball behind her 194 00:12:41,361 --> 00:12:44,362 And starts looking for other opportunities. 195 00:12:44,464 --> 00:12:46,030 [nikisha] keonte had many aspirations. 196 00:12:46,133 --> 00:12:47,632 She wanted to be a veterinarian. 197 00:12:47,734 --> 00:12:49,067 She wanted to become a model, 198 00:12:49,169 --> 00:12:50,502 She wanted to become a rapper. 199 00:12:50,604 --> 00:12:52,570 She had a lot of things she were interested in. 200 00:12:54,741 --> 00:12:57,675 [narrator] 2010. 201 00:12:57,778 --> 00:13:02,113 Sixteen-year-old keonte is now a freshman at central high school. 202 00:13:02,215 --> 00:13:04,349 She's grown closer to her cousin, 203 00:13:04,451 --> 00:13:05,917 Christian grissom jr., 204 00:13:06,019 --> 00:13:08,119 Known to the family as lil chris, 205 00:13:08,221 --> 00:13:11,256 Who's recently been spending more time in alabama. 206 00:13:12,359 --> 00:13:13,224 [keonte] hey! 207 00:13:14,060 --> 00:13:16,261 They were close as kids. 208 00:13:16,363 --> 00:13:19,931 Him and his sisters would stay at grandma mary's house. 209 00:13:21,468 --> 00:13:24,202 They're cousins, but in my family, 210 00:13:24,304 --> 00:13:26,638 Your cousin is like your brother or sister almost. 211 00:13:29,743 --> 00:13:32,877 [nikisha] keonte and christian had a good friendship. 212 00:13:32,979 --> 00:13:34,479 They got along well with each other. 213 00:13:34,581 --> 00:13:36,381 They would joke around with each other. 214 00:13:37,184 --> 00:13:38,783 You heard this? 215 00:13:38,885 --> 00:13:42,053 [narrator] he has a partner and three kids in florida, 216 00:13:42,155 --> 00:13:43,955 But he wants to split his time between them 217 00:13:44,057 --> 00:13:46,758 And his family in alabama. 218 00:13:46,860 --> 00:13:52,096 After all, he's one of grandma mary's favorite grandchildren 219 00:13:52,199 --> 00:13:55,366 And just as keonte has always struggled with shyness, 220 00:13:55,468 --> 00:13:58,336 Lil chris has faced his own self-esteem issues. 221 00:14:00,006 --> 00:14:02,173 He was always chubby. 222 00:14:02,275 --> 00:14:05,376 I don't want to say a little fat kid, but that's what he was. 223 00:14:06,246 --> 00:14:08,046 He used to cry a lot, 224 00:14:08,148 --> 00:14:10,882 But he was really tough too. 225 00:14:10,984 --> 00:14:15,987 Sometimes people cry because of built up emotions and stuff like that too, 226 00:14:16,089 --> 00:14:18,723 That to that they don't know how to properly channel. 227 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:24,195 [narrator] but keonte and lil chris soon discover a shared interest 228 00:14:24,297 --> 00:14:26,464 That brings them out of their shells. 229 00:14:27,767 --> 00:14:30,635 [clecquot] chris was into hip-hop. 230 00:14:30,737 --> 00:14:34,939 And he's rhyming and stuff and I was like, "wow, man." 231 00:14:35,008 --> 00:14:37,775 He had a name. I don't know where he got the name from. 232 00:14:38,812 --> 00:14:41,446 His name was thirst mega. 233 00:14:41,548 --> 00:14:46,217 [narrator] encouraged by lil chris, keonte challenges her shyness. 234 00:14:46,319 --> 00:14:47,986 [rapping] ♪ yeah, yeah ♪ 235 00:14:48,088 --> 00:14:50,355 [narrator] and develops her passion for rap. 236 00:14:50,457 --> 00:14:52,457 ♪ once upon a time there was a little chick ♪ 237 00:14:52,559 --> 00:14:55,093 [clecquot] keonte's rap name was wondaflo. 238 00:14:55,195 --> 00:14:57,295 Like wonderful, but wonder flow. 239 00:14:57,397 --> 00:15:02,500 ♪ the only dis is a little way and you don't even know that you a dj ♪ 240 00:15:02,602 --> 00:15:05,136 [narrator] she writes her own music 241 00:15:05,238 --> 00:15:07,505 And records a copy for her uncle, clecquot, 242 00:15:07,607 --> 00:15:09,107 Who also used to rap. 243 00:15:10,377 --> 00:15:11,910 [clecquot] keonte sent me an email 244 00:15:12,012 --> 00:15:15,246 And she was like, "uncle cle, check this out." 245 00:15:15,348 --> 00:15:18,850 And I was like, "whoa, where'd this come from?" 246 00:15:19,352 --> 00:15:20,451 Like... 247 00:15:20,553 --> 00:15:22,420 Because, like I said, she was quiet. 248 00:15:23,290 --> 00:15:26,557 Keonte had surprised all of us 249 00:15:26,660 --> 00:15:28,760 Because I didn't know she could rap. 250 00:15:31,097 --> 00:15:33,631 [narrator] but rap is just a hobby for keonte. 251 00:15:35,201 --> 00:15:39,170 After graduating, she decides to follow her uncle cle's footsteps 252 00:15:41,675 --> 00:15:43,274 And join the air force. 253 00:15:46,079 --> 00:15:50,281 [nikisha] she always said that she was gonna help take care of me and the family 254 00:15:50,383 --> 00:15:53,985 And I guess that's one of the reasons she wanted to go into the military. 255 00:15:54,654 --> 00:15:56,654 [narrator] August 2014. 256 00:16:01,528 --> 00:16:03,061 [keonte laughing] 257 00:16:03,163 --> 00:16:06,898 [narrator] she passes the first air force written test with flying colors. 258 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,367 Mom, I did it. I passed. 259 00:16:09,469 --> 00:16:13,571 [tone] she scored very high on the military test. 260 00:16:13,673 --> 00:16:18,443 At that point in time, I believe keonte could have done anything 261 00:16:18,545 --> 00:16:20,545 That she wanted to put her mind to. 262 00:16:22,282 --> 00:16:26,584 [narrator] and things in her personal life are going well too. 263 00:16:26,686 --> 00:16:30,421 Keonte's boyfriend, tray, I met him a couple of times, 264 00:16:30,523 --> 00:16:33,358 And he seemed to be, you know, a kind person. 265 00:16:35,328 --> 00:16:38,629 [tone] she told me that one day she would love to get married, 266 00:16:38,732 --> 00:16:41,599 And she would love to have plenty of kids. 267 00:16:41,701 --> 00:16:44,635 And then I asked her, "who's gonna take care of all those kids?" 268 00:16:44,738 --> 00:16:46,804 She said, "you and mommy." 269 00:16:47,273 --> 00:16:48,206 [chuckles] 270 00:16:50,577 --> 00:16:53,878 [narrator] August 6th, 6:30 p.M. 271 00:16:53,980 --> 00:16:54,912 [cell phone ringing] 272 00:16:55,015 --> 00:16:57,148 Nikisha gets a phone call from keonte. 273 00:16:57,250 --> 00:16:59,350 Hey, honey, you good? 274 00:16:59,452 --> 00:17:02,920 She was explaining to me she had a job interview the next morning. 275 00:17:03,023 --> 00:17:05,623 Which was at sam's club. 276 00:17:05,725 --> 00:17:07,358 When she talked about her job interview, 277 00:17:07,460 --> 00:17:09,694 She was very excited and looking forward to it. 278 00:17:09,796 --> 00:17:12,163 Oh, that's fantastic. 279 00:17:12,265 --> 00:17:16,067 [narrator] it'll be enough income to support her until she joins the air force. 280 00:17:16,169 --> 00:17:17,235 All right. 281 00:17:17,337 --> 00:17:18,870 [nikisha] I ended the conversation with keonte 282 00:17:18,972 --> 00:17:20,538 Wishing her good luck, letting her know 283 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,041 I will call her the next morning to talk with her, 284 00:17:23,143 --> 00:17:25,376 You know, to get her prepared for the interview. 285 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:30,048 [narrator] the next morning nikisha calls her mother gail's house, 286 00:17:30,150 --> 00:17:32,016 Where keonte has been staying. 287 00:17:32,118 --> 00:17:33,918 [phone line ringing] 288 00:17:34,020 --> 00:17:36,988 [nikisha] I called the house to check on keonte 289 00:17:37,090 --> 00:17:38,656 And keonte wasn't there. 290 00:17:40,393 --> 00:17:41,859 A lot of things raced through my mind 291 00:17:41,961 --> 00:17:45,363 Because I know she usually would be home that time of morning. 292 00:17:45,932 --> 00:17:47,231 Hey, honey, it's mom. 293 00:17:47,333 --> 00:17:48,766 I called her several times. 294 00:17:48,868 --> 00:17:49,901 I haven't heard from you. 295 00:17:50,003 --> 00:17:51,502 But her phone went to voicemail. 296 00:17:53,206 --> 00:17:56,607 I called sam's club that morning and asked to speak with the manager. 297 00:17:56,709 --> 00:17:59,777 I asked him, did they have an interview scheduled for keonte that morning, 298 00:17:59,879 --> 00:18:01,245 And he said yes, 299 00:18:01,347 --> 00:18:02,814 But she never showed up. 300 00:18:04,384 --> 00:18:06,551 That wasn't like keonte to miss the interview, 301 00:18:06,653 --> 00:18:09,687 Not something she was looking so forward to. 302 00:18:09,789 --> 00:18:12,290 After I heard that news, I became frightened 303 00:18:12,392 --> 00:18:15,226 Because I know something was wrong. 304 00:18:25,004 --> 00:18:26,904 [narrator] 12:00 p.M., August 7. 305 00:18:29,809 --> 00:18:33,578 A 19-year-old keonte chavis' uncharacteristic silence 306 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:35,079 Is worrying her family. 307 00:18:36,916 --> 00:18:40,318 I was still in atlanta, still trying to figure out what was going on, 308 00:18:40,420 --> 00:18:43,521 Still calling her phone to see why she wasn't answering 309 00:18:43,623 --> 00:18:46,624 And just trying to put things together. 310 00:18:46,726 --> 00:18:50,995 [narrator] the last person to hear anything from keonte is her grandmother, gail. 311 00:18:51,097 --> 00:18:52,930 I don't know. 312 00:18:52,999 --> 00:18:55,233 [nikisha] that night when keonte went missing, 313 00:18:55,335 --> 00:18:59,470 Keonte's car had broken down somewhere in phenix city. 314 00:19:01,508 --> 00:19:06,511 Keonte had called the house to let my mother know that her car had broken down. 315 00:19:06,613 --> 00:19:08,479 [narrator] that day, her cousin lil chris 316 00:19:08,581 --> 00:19:11,215 Had just arrived from florida for a family visit. 317 00:19:12,886 --> 00:19:15,086 [nikisha] my mother, since lil chris was already out, 318 00:19:15,188 --> 00:19:18,022 She had decided to tell him, can he pick keonte up. 319 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:23,594 [narrator] but neither she nor lil chris have heard from keonte 320 00:19:23,696 --> 00:19:25,396 Since the early hours 321 00:19:25,498 --> 00:19:29,567 After lil chris had dropped her off at her boyfriend tray's house. 322 00:19:32,205 --> 00:19:36,340 Keonte's family head to the local police station to report her missing. 323 00:19:37,844 --> 00:19:39,977 But despite their pleas, 324 00:19:40,079 --> 00:19:42,980 As she's been missing for less than 24 hours, 325 00:19:43,082 --> 00:19:47,151 Phenix city police insist there's little they can do. 326 00:19:47,253 --> 00:19:49,687 [lt. Harold smith] typically, when someone's reported missing, 327 00:19:49,789 --> 00:19:53,624 They have just went off with friends 328 00:19:53,726 --> 00:19:57,995 Or maybe they don't wanna be found at that point. 329 00:19:58,097 --> 00:20:03,401 Probably 99% of the time, missing persons are found. 330 00:20:04,504 --> 00:20:07,104 [narrator] the family are distraught, 331 00:20:07,207 --> 00:20:10,007 But with little choice, they return home. 332 00:20:15,281 --> 00:20:17,381 Nikisha calls keonte's father, tone. 333 00:20:19,485 --> 00:20:22,320 [tone] when I received the first calls from kisha, 334 00:20:22,422 --> 00:20:27,525 Kisha told me that our daughter is not answering the phone 335 00:20:29,229 --> 00:20:31,829 And kisha told me something happened to her. 336 00:20:31,931 --> 00:20:37,301 And at this point, now, it's starting to worry me. 337 00:20:37,403 --> 00:20:42,073 I caught a plane to atlanta. Once we got to alabama, 338 00:20:42,175 --> 00:20:47,011 Some of the grissom family met us at mary grissom's house 339 00:20:47,113 --> 00:20:49,146 And we jumped in different cars. 340 00:20:49,249 --> 00:20:51,449 We circled the block. 341 00:20:51,551 --> 00:20:55,186 We asked people, "did you see this person?" 342 00:20:55,288 --> 00:20:58,256 And was putting out missing person flyers and stuff. 343 00:21:00,393 --> 00:21:03,261 [narrator] after two days with no contact from keonte, 344 00:21:05,365 --> 00:21:08,032 Grandmother gail returns to the police station. 345 00:21:11,371 --> 00:21:13,437 [officer speaking] 346 00:21:14,907 --> 00:21:16,173 [gail speaking] 347 00:21:33,993 --> 00:21:35,660 Her car had broken down, 348 00:21:35,762 --> 00:21:38,529 And her cousin christian was the one 349 00:21:38,631 --> 00:21:41,565 That went to help her. 350 00:21:41,668 --> 00:21:42,967 [gail speaking] 351 00:21:43,069 --> 00:21:43,868 [officer speaking] 352 00:21:43,970 --> 00:21:45,036 [gail speaking] 353 00:21:59,352 --> 00:22:02,119 [indistinct chatter] 354 00:22:02,221 --> 00:22:05,323 [narrator] lil chris had told gail they'd both gone to a small gathering 355 00:22:05,425 --> 00:22:07,892 At keonte's boyfriend tray's house. 356 00:22:11,264 --> 00:22:14,532 Later, they left together from her boyfriend's house. 357 00:22:16,002 --> 00:22:18,369 They went to get something to eat. 358 00:22:19,806 --> 00:22:24,442 And then christian says he dropped keonte 359 00:22:24,544 --> 00:22:29,080 Back at the boyfriend's house at 1:30, 2:00. 360 00:22:33,953 --> 00:22:36,420 And then he goes home. 361 00:22:37,957 --> 00:22:41,459 [narrator] concerned for keonte, gail makes another call. 362 00:22:41,994 --> 00:22:43,761 [gail speaking] 363 00:22:44,897 --> 00:22:45,996 [officer speaking] 364 00:22:46,099 --> 00:22:47,498 [gail speaking] 365 00:22:58,111 --> 00:22:59,477 [officer speaking] 366 00:23:00,146 --> 00:23:01,512 [gail speaking] 367 00:23:06,886 --> 00:23:08,486 [narrator] but only a few hours later, 368 00:23:11,290 --> 00:23:13,224 At 5:29 p.M., 369 00:23:13,326 --> 00:23:14,859 Russell county sheriff's office 370 00:23:14,961 --> 00:23:16,761 Receives a call from a family 371 00:23:16,863 --> 00:23:20,297 Driving down a remote dirt track in seale, alabama. 372 00:23:22,769 --> 00:23:26,370 The passenger observed what she thought 373 00:23:26,472 --> 00:23:30,808 Was a body laying off on the side of the road 374 00:23:32,979 --> 00:23:35,713 And immediately called 911. 375 00:23:44,657 --> 00:23:47,057 [narrator] investigators from russell county sheriff's office 376 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:50,194 Rush to a remote dirt track in seale, alabama, 377 00:23:52,365 --> 00:23:54,231 Where a body has been discovered. 378 00:23:56,969 --> 00:24:01,105 Chief investigator lieutenant harold smith is dispatched to the scene. 379 00:24:03,309 --> 00:24:04,942 [camera shutter clicking] 380 00:24:05,044 --> 00:24:09,480 When I arrived at the scene on ridge road, 381 00:24:09,582 --> 00:24:11,482 The crime scene tape was up. 382 00:24:11,584 --> 00:24:13,150 [camera shutter clicking] 383 00:24:13,252 --> 00:24:16,654 We try to get an initial round of photographs 384 00:24:16,756 --> 00:24:18,989 To document the scene, 385 00:24:20,426 --> 00:24:22,793 Working our way up to the body. 386 00:24:27,934 --> 00:24:31,335 I knew immediately when I looked at the body 387 00:24:31,437 --> 00:24:33,137 That that was keonte. 388 00:24:38,478 --> 00:24:39,577 [camera shutter clicking] 389 00:24:43,616 --> 00:24:45,216 We could tell, um, 390 00:24:45,318 --> 00:24:48,018 That she had been there for a little bit of time 391 00:24:50,323 --> 00:24:53,557 And she had some decomposure. 392 00:24:55,261 --> 00:24:57,328 [narrator] forensic officers estimate she died 393 00:24:57,430 --> 00:24:59,096 Sometime between 3:00 to 4:00 a.M. 394 00:24:59,198 --> 00:25:01,165 On the morning of August 7th. 395 00:25:03,135 --> 00:25:05,736 [lt. Smith] she had blunt force trauma to the head 396 00:25:05,838 --> 00:25:08,239 And it appeared that she had been strangled. 397 00:25:09,709 --> 00:25:14,512 We noticed that her pants were kind of turned sideways. 398 00:25:16,082 --> 00:25:17,882 I don't know if that means 399 00:25:17,984 --> 00:25:20,017 That she was sexually assaulted or not. 400 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:23,120 [narrator] the appearance of keonte's clothing 401 00:25:23,222 --> 00:25:26,891 Leads investigators to initially suspect sexual assault, 402 00:25:28,561 --> 00:25:31,462 But there is no forensic evidence to support the theory. 403 00:25:32,732 --> 00:25:34,932 [max smith] there's just no way of knowing 404 00:25:35,034 --> 00:25:36,534 And I couldn't prove it. 405 00:25:43,209 --> 00:25:46,911 [narrator] by 7:00 p.M., two hours after her body has been located, 406 00:25:48,581 --> 00:25:51,782 Officers break the devastating news to keonte's family. 407 00:25:53,319 --> 00:25:56,887 We received the call from the police about keonte. 408 00:25:58,457 --> 00:26:02,159 My family and I were told to come down to the police station. 409 00:26:02,261 --> 00:26:06,597 When we got to the police station, the head sheriff came 410 00:26:06,699 --> 00:26:10,734 And announced to us that keonte's not coming home. 411 00:26:15,408 --> 00:26:17,074 [nikisha] lord, after I heard that news, 412 00:26:17,176 --> 00:26:18,709 I felt like I wanted to just faint. 413 00:26:18,811 --> 00:26:20,911 It was like a blow. 414 00:26:21,614 --> 00:26:22,780 And I felt numb. 415 00:26:23,716 --> 00:26:24,748 Um, angry. 416 00:26:26,619 --> 00:26:29,353 [narrator] the family is called in to identify the body. 417 00:26:31,157 --> 00:26:34,358 They said, "please do not let her mother 418 00:26:34,460 --> 00:26:36,660 Go out there to see her daughter like that. 419 00:26:37,363 --> 00:26:38,696 It's not her anymore. 420 00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:43,233 No one needs to see that 421 00:26:43,336 --> 00:26:45,269 As they last memory of their child." 422 00:26:46,105 --> 00:26:47,972 Said it would haunt her forever. 423 00:26:50,910 --> 00:26:56,280 So grandma mary and, um, her grandmother gail, 424 00:26:56,382 --> 00:26:58,115 They both went to view her. 425 00:27:00,252 --> 00:27:04,121 [narrator] gail and grandma mary confirm the family's worst fears. 426 00:27:06,192 --> 00:27:07,791 Keonte is dead. 427 00:27:10,863 --> 00:27:13,497 It's late at night on August 9th, 428 00:27:13,599 --> 00:27:17,034 When investigators interview keonte's family and friends 429 00:27:17,136 --> 00:27:20,604 In what is now officially a homicide investigation. 430 00:27:21,374 --> 00:27:22,906 We looked at everybody 431 00:27:23,009 --> 00:27:26,577 And spoke to everybody and interviewed everybody. 432 00:27:26,679 --> 00:27:28,912 [narrator] lil chris is already on his way back 433 00:27:29,015 --> 00:27:30,414 To his family in florida. 434 00:27:32,351 --> 00:27:34,184 While detectives try to reach him, 435 00:27:34,286 --> 00:27:36,920 They speak to keonte's great-uncle darrell. 436 00:27:37,657 --> 00:27:38,656 [detective speaking] 437 00:27:55,207 --> 00:27:57,641 [narrator] darrell corroborates what gail had told the police 438 00:27:57,743 --> 00:27:58,876 Just hours earlier. 439 00:28:01,180 --> 00:28:05,349 Next door, investigators speak to another family member. 440 00:28:06,419 --> 00:28:08,352 [lt. Smith] keonte's cousin todd toliver 441 00:28:08,454 --> 00:28:10,688 Spoke with christian on the telephone 442 00:28:10,790 --> 00:28:16,026 After he had left to get a specific timeline. 443 00:28:23,269 --> 00:28:24,101 [detective speaking] 444 00:28:24,203 --> 00:28:25,469 [todd continues speaking] 445 00:28:39,652 --> 00:28:41,819 [detective speaking] 446 00:28:41,921 --> 00:28:44,855 [narrator] investigators request cctv from the liquor store 447 00:28:44,957 --> 00:28:46,590 To confirm chris's story. 448 00:28:49,495 --> 00:28:51,995 And on the night of August 6th, 449 00:28:52,098 --> 00:28:53,764 Just before 11:00 p.M., 450 00:28:55,334 --> 00:28:57,501 They get a hit. 451 00:28:57,603 --> 00:29:01,171 [taylor] we were able to see christian's vehicle pull up. 452 00:29:04,043 --> 00:29:07,144 Christian got out, went into the liquor store. 453 00:29:13,919 --> 00:29:16,353 [narrator] lil chris appears to be alone. 454 00:29:21,727 --> 00:29:25,295 [taylor] but then, keonte followed him into the liquor store. 455 00:29:26,966 --> 00:29:29,266 Christian bought a couple of items. 456 00:29:33,139 --> 00:29:37,841 Everything appeared normal between christian and keonte. 457 00:29:38,811 --> 00:29:42,346 She did not appear to be stressed in any way. 458 00:29:48,154 --> 00:29:51,321 It seemed like they were having a normal night. 459 00:29:53,793 --> 00:29:55,292 [narrator] back in the interview rooms, 460 00:29:56,462 --> 00:29:59,396 Another potential suspect is coming under the spotlight. 461 00:30:06,472 --> 00:30:08,939 [detective speaks] 462 00:30:09,041 --> 00:30:11,441 [taylor] you know, a lot of these cases turn out to be 463 00:30:11,544 --> 00:30:13,544 A domestic violence scenario 464 00:30:13,646 --> 00:30:15,946 Between a boyfriend and a girlfriend. 465 00:30:16,048 --> 00:30:18,282 So we were thinking, absolutely. 466 00:30:18,384 --> 00:30:19,917 I mean, it could be tray. 467 00:30:20,019 --> 00:30:23,720 [narrator] grandmother gail's boyfriend also highlights his suspicions. 468 00:30:35,067 --> 00:30:38,035 [narrator] on August 10th, police are dispatched to tray's house. 469 00:30:40,506 --> 00:30:42,840 They discover he lived with his cousin garrett, 470 00:30:42,942 --> 00:30:46,543 Who was also at the house the night keonte disappeared. 471 00:30:48,047 --> 00:30:50,247 Police bring them both in for questioning. 472 00:30:52,184 --> 00:30:55,452 [taylor] when we spoke to tray about that night, 473 00:30:55,554 --> 00:31:01,024 I remember him saying that he comes home from work, 474 00:31:03,162 --> 00:31:06,096 It's 6:30 or 7:00 in the afternoon. 475 00:31:08,167 --> 00:31:12,336 He sees keonte and christian there in the yard, 476 00:31:12,438 --> 00:31:13,437 Speaks to them. 477 00:31:16,742 --> 00:31:18,809 He has to go back to work. 478 00:31:18,911 --> 00:31:21,011 So he leaves and goes back to work. 479 00:31:23,649 --> 00:31:25,349 [narrator] when officers speak to garrett, 480 00:31:25,451 --> 00:31:27,451 He confirms tray's story. 481 00:31:28,387 --> 00:31:32,055 Garrett relayed that he had seen 482 00:31:32,157 --> 00:31:35,259 Keonte and christian at the house 483 00:31:35,361 --> 00:31:38,362 During the time that tray had come by. 484 00:31:38,464 --> 00:31:39,963 And then tray went back to work. 485 00:31:40,065 --> 00:31:43,166 And garrett says that keonte and christian 486 00:31:43,269 --> 00:31:46,036 Were going to get some food. 487 00:31:46,138 --> 00:31:48,572 And then they were gonna go by the liquor store, 488 00:31:48,674 --> 00:31:51,041 And then they were coming back to his house. 489 00:31:52,978 --> 00:31:55,178 [narrator] they eventually left around 9:30 p.M. 490 00:31:57,750 --> 00:31:59,683 Throughout the night, garrett claims 491 00:31:59,785 --> 00:32:02,619 He was out on the porch, waiting for keonte, 492 00:32:04,590 --> 00:32:07,724 But neither she nor lil chris ever appeared. 493 00:32:10,863 --> 00:32:13,563 Because of previous run-ins with police, 494 00:32:13,666 --> 00:32:16,333 Garrett was wearing an ankle monitor that night. 495 00:32:17,569 --> 00:32:22,406 [taylor] we were able to check garrett's ankle monitor 496 00:32:22,508 --> 00:32:27,144 And the gps, um, stated that he was at the house 497 00:32:27,246 --> 00:32:31,048 During the time of keonte's death. 498 00:32:31,150 --> 00:32:33,784 [narrator] and despite their earlier suspicions of tray, 499 00:32:33,886 --> 00:32:36,286 Investigators find him cooperative 500 00:32:36,388 --> 00:32:39,122 And his alibi solid. 501 00:32:39,224 --> 00:32:41,758 So we felt pretty good that they had 502 00:32:41,860 --> 00:32:43,894 Actually not been involved. 503 00:32:45,564 --> 00:32:47,197 [narrator] all leads point to the moment 504 00:32:47,299 --> 00:32:50,167 Chris says he dropped her back at tray's. 505 00:32:52,471 --> 00:32:54,371 Either something happened to keonte 506 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:56,340 Before she made it to the house 507 00:32:58,477 --> 00:33:00,844 Or lil chris has been lying. 508 00:33:03,615 --> 00:33:05,582 And when russell county sheriff's office 509 00:33:05,684 --> 00:33:08,485 Obtain lil chris' phone records, 510 00:33:08,587 --> 00:33:11,822 What they discover will blow the case wide open. 511 00:33:13,058 --> 00:33:17,427 His cell phone pinged off of a cell tower 512 00:33:18,397 --> 00:33:22,332 That was 0.95 miles from the body. 513 00:33:22,434 --> 00:33:25,435 [narrator] the ping is recorded at approximately 3:00 a.M. 514 00:33:25,537 --> 00:33:27,437 On the morning of August 7th. 515 00:33:28,674 --> 00:33:31,475 [taylor] which meant he had to be extremely close 516 00:33:31,577 --> 00:33:34,478 To keonte's body on ridge road. 517 00:33:36,648 --> 00:33:38,315 [narrator] police drone footage of the area 518 00:33:38,417 --> 00:33:41,418 Shows a remote rural expanse. 519 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:43,620 [taylor] there was no place in the city 520 00:33:43,722 --> 00:33:46,056 That would have hit that tower. 521 00:33:46,158 --> 00:33:50,427 That told me that he purposefully was on that road, 522 00:33:53,399 --> 00:33:58,535 Putting his cell phone in the vicinity of the body. 523 00:33:58,637 --> 00:34:00,771 That was a huge step for us. 524 00:34:01,740 --> 00:34:03,407 We felt like we had our man. 525 00:34:05,277 --> 00:34:09,312 [narrator] but lil chris is nowhere to be found. 526 00:34:16,355 --> 00:34:18,955 August 11th, 2014. 527 00:34:19,958 --> 00:34:21,224 Plattekill, new york. 528 00:34:22,428 --> 00:34:23,693 [operator speaking] 529 00:34:25,064 --> 00:34:27,998 [man speaking] 530 00:34:28,133 --> 00:34:31,334 [narrator] the caller is outside christian grissom's mother's house. 531 00:34:31,437 --> 00:34:32,669 [operator speaking] 532 00:34:33,205 --> 00:34:34,504 [man speaking] 533 00:34:35,774 --> 00:34:37,774 [operator speaking] 534 00:34:37,876 --> 00:34:39,643 -[man speaking] -[operator speaking] 535 00:34:40,879 --> 00:34:42,179 [woman speaking] 536 00:34:42,981 --> 00:34:44,181 [man speaking] 537 00:34:45,918 --> 00:34:48,652 [narrator] lil chris isn't back home in florida. 538 00:34:48,754 --> 00:34:51,054 He's at his mother's house in plattekill. 539 00:34:53,492 --> 00:34:55,559 And keonte's newburgh relatives 540 00:34:55,661 --> 00:34:57,727 Are about to confront him. 541 00:34:57,830 --> 00:34:59,463 [man speaking] 542 00:35:02,067 --> 00:35:03,233 [operator speaking] 543 00:35:04,169 --> 00:35:05,569 [siren wailing] 544 00:35:05,671 --> 00:35:08,405 [narrator] when the police arrive, 545 00:35:08,507 --> 00:35:11,441 It's lil chris who's put in cuffs. 546 00:35:11,543 --> 00:35:14,344 [max smith] when they got there, the defendant was there 547 00:35:14,446 --> 00:35:16,379 And they arrested him 548 00:35:16,482 --> 00:35:19,616 And they impounded his vehicle. 549 00:35:19,718 --> 00:35:23,386 [taylor] I immediately dispatched my chief investigator at the time, 550 00:35:23,489 --> 00:35:27,891 Lieutenant harold smith, to drive to new york with the arrest warrant. 551 00:35:27,993 --> 00:35:29,759 [camera shutter clicking] 552 00:35:29,862 --> 00:35:32,496 [narrator] detectives take lil chris to the station. 553 00:35:32,598 --> 00:35:34,064 [camera shutter clicking] 554 00:35:34,166 --> 00:35:37,000 But before they can get him into the interrogation room, 555 00:35:37,102 --> 00:35:38,168 He lawyers up. 556 00:35:40,339 --> 00:35:42,806 They look for signs of a struggle. 557 00:35:42,908 --> 00:35:44,541 [camera shutter clicking] 558 00:35:47,212 --> 00:35:52,549 [taylor] we were able to see a bite mark on his chest. 559 00:35:52,651 --> 00:35:55,519 A plain, very visible bite mark. 560 00:35:57,055 --> 00:36:02,292 Perhaps keonte bit him in an effort to defend herself. 561 00:36:04,062 --> 00:36:05,562 [operator speaking] 562 00:36:06,999 --> 00:36:08,031 [lil chris speaking] 563 00:36:09,234 --> 00:36:10,400 [woman speaking] 564 00:36:11,103 --> 00:36:12,769 [lil chris speaking] 565 00:36:26,485 --> 00:36:28,552 We were able to get a recording 566 00:36:28,654 --> 00:36:32,789 Of christian admitting that they were bite marks. 567 00:36:34,526 --> 00:36:38,795 We were able to speak with his girlfriend in florida. 568 00:36:39,898 --> 00:36:41,698 [narrator] lil chris' partner's cooperative 569 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:43,767 And responsive to police enquiries. 570 00:36:44,937 --> 00:36:49,339 She emphatically said that when he left florida 571 00:36:49,441 --> 00:36:51,975 That he did not have bite marks 572 00:36:52,077 --> 00:36:54,010 Of any kind on his chest. 573 00:36:55,013 --> 00:36:56,413 [lil chris speaking] 574 00:37:04,189 --> 00:37:06,790 [narrator] that same afternoon, lieutenant harold smith 575 00:37:06,892 --> 00:37:09,392 Finally arrives at plattekill police department. 576 00:37:10,762 --> 00:37:13,964 We wanted to be present for the execution 577 00:37:14,066 --> 00:37:16,266 Of a search warrant on his vehicle. 578 00:37:16,368 --> 00:37:18,001 [camera shutter clicking] 579 00:37:22,941 --> 00:37:26,443 Pretty quickly saw that there was a blood smear 580 00:37:26,545 --> 00:37:29,145 On the headliner at the dome light. 581 00:37:31,016 --> 00:37:34,718 So we cut that piece of material 582 00:37:34,820 --> 00:37:37,687 Out of the headliner 583 00:37:37,789 --> 00:37:41,658 And submitted that to the alabama department of forensic science. 584 00:37:43,161 --> 00:37:46,630 [narrator] and later, the results confirm his suspicions. 585 00:37:46,732 --> 00:37:48,598 That was keonte's blood. 586 00:37:50,335 --> 00:37:52,869 [narrator] it's the final piece of evidence they need 587 00:37:54,273 --> 00:37:56,640 And lil chris is charged 588 00:37:56,742 --> 00:37:59,075 With the murder of his own cousin. 589 00:38:00,279 --> 00:38:02,646 It's just hard for me to live with the fact 590 00:38:02,748 --> 00:38:05,649 That the betrayal came from within, 591 00:38:05,751 --> 00:38:07,751 Uh, a family circle. 592 00:38:10,455 --> 00:38:14,090 [narrator] lil chris's motive remains a mystery. 593 00:38:14,192 --> 00:38:15,725 [nikisha] why did he do it? 594 00:38:15,827 --> 00:38:19,229 What could she done so wrong to make him take her life? 595 00:38:19,331 --> 00:38:20,864 I don't know if he was drinking 596 00:38:20,966 --> 00:38:24,234 And maybe took his frustration and anger out on her. 597 00:38:25,671 --> 00:38:29,172 [narrator] but some family members do have another theory. 598 00:38:29,274 --> 00:38:33,510 I think, personally, he may have been attracted to her 599 00:38:33,612 --> 00:38:36,646 And maybe tried something and it didn't work out 600 00:38:36,748 --> 00:38:38,782 The way he thought it was gonna work out. 601 00:38:38,884 --> 00:38:41,017 And then I think it came to her maybe saying 602 00:38:41,119 --> 00:38:43,119 That she's gonna call some family 603 00:38:43,221 --> 00:38:47,157 And call somebody on him and he just lost it. 604 00:38:51,363 --> 00:38:54,431 [narrator] at his trial on August 28, 2017, 605 00:38:55,834 --> 00:38:58,535 Lil chris maintains his innocence. 606 00:38:58,637 --> 00:39:01,571 What else is he going to say? "I did it"? No. 607 00:39:01,673 --> 00:39:06,009 He committed to the fact that he wasn't involved in this. 608 00:39:06,111 --> 00:39:09,612 He denied ever doing this to her. 609 00:39:12,384 --> 00:39:14,351 [narrator] prosecutors lay out their theory. 610 00:39:18,657 --> 00:39:21,591 After leaving tray's house at around 9:30 p.M., 611 00:39:24,730 --> 00:39:27,230 He took her to the liquor store to buy her drinks. 612 00:39:29,835 --> 00:39:33,136 [max smith] after they left the villa nova liquor store, 613 00:39:33,238 --> 00:39:36,239 They went driving around the area here, 614 00:39:36,341 --> 00:39:40,377 And they ended up on that lonely, remote dirt road. 615 00:39:43,915 --> 00:39:45,548 And they got into a fight. 616 00:39:48,019 --> 00:39:50,954 And the fight occurred right there 617 00:39:51,056 --> 00:39:54,157 Where we think the body was left. 618 00:39:54,259 --> 00:39:55,825 [narrator] it's likely she fought back. 619 00:39:57,162 --> 00:39:59,129 She was unable to overpower him. 620 00:40:00,399 --> 00:40:04,033 He strangled her, he hit her in her face, 621 00:40:04,136 --> 00:40:05,935 And then he bludgeoned her to death. 622 00:40:08,140 --> 00:40:10,573 It's a pretty horrible way to kill someone, 623 00:40:10,675 --> 00:40:14,210 Especially someone that you are related to. 624 00:40:15,947 --> 00:40:18,248 [narrator] he dumped her body on the side of the road 625 00:40:20,051 --> 00:40:21,618 And then drove to gail's house. 626 00:40:24,756 --> 00:40:28,324 [taylor] the jury was out 30, 40 minutes 627 00:40:28,427 --> 00:40:32,429 And came back with a guilty verdict. 628 00:40:32,531 --> 00:40:36,566 [narrator] christian grissom jr. Is found guilty of murder 629 00:40:36,701 --> 00:40:38,668 And is sentenced to life without parole. 630 00:40:40,238 --> 00:40:43,706 Christian's action shows me he's a sociopath. 631 00:40:43,809 --> 00:40:47,977 I mean, he cares nothing about anyone else, 632 00:40:48,079 --> 00:40:50,280 Only about himself. 633 00:40:50,382 --> 00:40:53,183 That's a monster and he's where he should be. 634 00:40:55,987 --> 00:40:59,923 [narrator] for the family, it's a cruel pill to swallow. 635 00:41:00,025 --> 00:41:02,091 [courtney] did this really happen to us? 636 00:41:04,429 --> 00:41:06,095 To us, this family. 637 00:41:06,198 --> 00:41:07,897 Did this really happen? 638 00:41:10,435 --> 00:41:13,303 [tone] the predators that can harm your family 639 00:41:13,405 --> 00:41:16,406 Is not always on the outside of your family. 640 00:41:16,508 --> 00:41:18,808 Sometimes they can be in your family core 641 00:41:18,910 --> 00:41:22,979 And lurking and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. 642 00:41:24,749 --> 00:41:27,383 [narrator] on the sixth anniversary of her death, 643 00:41:27,486 --> 00:41:29,385 Keonte's family reunite 644 00:41:29,488 --> 00:41:31,921 To release balloons in her memory. 645 00:41:33,859 --> 00:41:36,826 [nikisha] I want people to remember keonte and her warm spirit 646 00:41:38,563 --> 00:41:40,330 And just keep that in their hearts. 647 00:41:43,535 --> 00:41:46,002 [courtney] I'd like to remember the saying 648 00:41:46,104 --> 00:41:48,872 We put on our shirts for her funeral, is, 649 00:41:50,008 --> 00:41:51,641 "heaven couldn't wait for you" 650 00:41:51,743 --> 00:41:56,279 Because I don't know any other explanations, you know? 651 00:41:57,516 --> 00:41:59,048 [woman 1 speaking] 652 00:42:00,185 --> 00:42:02,051 -[woman 2 speaking] -[woman 1 speaking] 653 00:42:13,031 --> 00:42:14,864 [tone] you gotta let it go. 654 00:42:14,933 --> 00:42:16,399 You gotta move forward 655 00:42:16,501 --> 00:42:20,069 Because keonte doesn't want to see me upset. 656 00:42:21,439 --> 00:42:22,872 She just wants me to go ahead 657 00:42:22,974 --> 00:42:24,941 And live the best life I can live. 658 00:42:26,344 --> 00:42:30,947 And when my day come that I descend into the afterlife, 659 00:42:31,049 --> 00:42:32,448 We'll see each other again.