( Image: WTHR)
Raymond Ronald Lee Childs III, an Indiana teenager, has been found guilty of murdering six members of his family in a tragic attack that took place after he was told he couldn’t spend the night at his girlfriend’s house. At the time of the incident, Childs was 17 years old.
The jury convicted him on six counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of carrying a handgun without a license. Childs, now facing sentencing on January 7, 2025, was charged as an adult due to the severity of the crime, according to Law and Crime.
The sole survivor of the January 24, 2021, massacre was Childs’ younger brother, who managed to escape with gunshot wounds to his leg and arm. His escape was crucial, leading investigators to the crime scene on Adams Street and revealing the full extent of the tragedy. The victims, identified as Kezzie Childs, 42; Raymond Childs, 42; Elijah Childs, 18; Rita Childs, 13; Kiara Hawkins, 19; and Hawkins’ unborn son, who was due within a week, were all found dead at the scene.
According to the investigation, the incident stemmed from a family dispute over Childs’ plans to stay over at his girlfriend’s house. Childs’ girlfriend later told investigators that his father had called him to return home. When Childs arrived, he packed two bags of clothes, saying he had been kicked out, and then returned to his girlfriend’s house. Roughly 30 minutes after he left, she received an alert on her phone about a shooting on Childs’ street, to which Childs feigned ignorance.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Childs’ younger brother recounted the horrifying series of events. While filling a bottle with water in the bathroom, he heard two gunshots. His father, who was startled awake, ran to the stairs, asking, “What was that?” Moments later, Childs’ sister, 13-year-old Rita, was heard shouting, “Raymond shot Elijah!” before another gunshot rang out. The affidavit details that Childs’ father, in his final moments, said, “I’m sorry, Raymond, I love you.”
The younger brother attempted to flee but was pursued by Childs. Pleading for his life, he offered, “I can give you forty dollars, please don’t kill me.” Childs, however, proceeded to shoot his brother in both the leg and arm. After the assault, Childs fled to a relative’s home, where police later apprehended him.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears spoke about the impact of the case during a press conference when the charges were filed, expressing sorrow for the family’s loss and the tragic context of the crime. “Not only did so many people lose their lives, but you think about that family and what they were anticipating — the baby was due in a week,” Mears said.
In an earlier trial, proceedings were interrupted when a witness asked Childs directly why he had killed his family, leading to a mistrial. This recent conviction marks a grim conclusion to a case that has deeply impacted the community and left a family devastated by loss.
