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A Sad Incident in 2019
In March 2019, Keyona Griffin died tragically, marking a sad ending to a story that began with hope and ended in despair. This narrative orbits around Griffin, her auntie, and an act of kindness by Reverend Robert Dean that takes an unexpected twist. Now let us delve into the details concerning this terrifying event which shook the Grand Rapids community in Michigan.
Background: When Kindness Turns Sour
Reverend Robert Dean had on one occasion opened his doors to Derrell Demon Brown- a homeless man-into his church based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The noble intention behind this gesture was to give shelter and support to someone who needed assistance. However, it would later lead to a double murder which was completely unforeseen thus revealing the hidden dangers of trust without precaution.
Keyona Griffin: The Events That Led To Tragedy
The Baber-Bey family home at 553 Sheldon Avenue SE became the location for a soul breaking crime scene. Cherletta Baber-Bey, aged 47 years old and her niece Keyona Griffin only aged 25 were living together with Brown when something unimaginable happened. On fateful day last year on March13th , Keyona dialed the emergency phone number (911) as she attempted to get help while putting herself at great personal risk. For all their bravery though both she and Cherletta were already dead from gunshot wounds by the time police arrived.
Ongoing Search For Justice
Shortly after the criminal incident, Derrell Demon Brown was identified by Kent County prosecutors as the primary suspect involved in this vicious act leading to immediate issuance of arrest warrants against him; unfortunately however, Brown is still out there somewhere thereby rendering these efforts fruitless because justice remains unserved and Keyona plus Cherletta’s families have never stopped grieving up until now.
In Memory of Keyona Griffin
The memory of Keyona Griffin reminds us about the life of a young girl whose life was cut short too soon. Keyona, born on March 8th, 1994, lived a life surrounded by family and the hope of an unfinished future. This not just left her family in sorrow but also raised questions safety trust and careless kindness consequences.
- Full Name: Keyona Griffin
- Gender: Female
- Date of Birth: 8 March 1994
- Date of Death: 13 March 2019
- Age at Death: 25 years old
- Birthplace: United States of America
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Black/African American
- Faith: Christianity/Christian
- Physical Characteristics: Nappy hair black eyes black hair brown eyes & black skin and eyeballs
- Family: Child to John and Ongah Griffin siblings with Stanford Cummings II.
- Marital Status: Single
As Derrell Demon Brown is still being pursued in connection with the crimes he committed, it’s hard to forget about his memories, especially if we talk about Keyona Griffin. At the same time, we are reminded how fragile human lives are, leaving an eternal senseless violence impact upon families as well as societies.
The Tragic Fate of Keyona Griffin
The Loss of a Young Life
In the quiet of Michigan, USA unfolds the story of Keyona Griffin – a story encased in untimely death and tragedy. She was born to an African-American family on March 8, 1994, but her life was cut short as she turned 25 years old. To Ongah Griffin and Johnny Griffin, she was their cherished daughter while Stanford Cummings II was her brother.
A Family Shattered by Violence
She found herself in a life-threatening situation one day in March 2019 that made her whisper desperate pleas for help to the Grand Rapids police department. This call came on Wednesday, 13th March at 10:25 am and had terror (in her voice) when she said ‘Can you just hurry up please … He’s tryin’ to kill me. He already killed my auntie. Can you hurry up please?’ It is unfortunate that despite making such efforts to get help things did not end well.
Keyona Griffin Final Moments
During those few seconds before the line went dead after saying ‘Keyona,’ the dispatcher could barely hear her mouthed words. In approximately seven minutes plus forty-one seconds after this incident, Grand Rapids Police arrived but with several challenges they faced during their response. With body cameras on them, footages showed that these officers could not penetrate into the house or establish any communication with an occupant within it. Finally they left after three minutes and forty-two seconds without anyone inside opening door for them thereby leaving what has happened behind closed doors.
A Brother’s Discovery and Despair
Two hours and eighteen minutes later Sanford Cummings II find his sister’s dead body lying on the floor of an upstairs bedroom dialing 911—a voice breaking silence which began after Keyona passed away with her auntie earlier that day.
Questions remain about what exactly led to this tragic event that has left Keyona Griffin missing from her community. Her story serves as a stark reminder about how fragile life is and how catastrophic violence can be for families.
Barely a second had passed before the police found another heartrending scene—Cherletta Baber-Bey, Keyona’s aunt was seen lying dead on her bed. The room was eery and silent; a tablet played continuously while earbuds remained in her ears as if life had suddenly stopped. In reality, Cherletta had suffered a gunshot wound to the back of her head; a brutal crime that claimed her life while she was defenselessly asleep. There were signs in the room suggesting what violence occurred there including a discarded box of ammunition and empty gun box. A Hi-Point pistol used in the murders was found leading evidence to Cherletta’s boyfriend Derrell.
Seeking Justice: A Manhunt Unfolds
These deaths caused investigators to seek justice for Keyona Griffin and her aunt. The authorities used Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to get necessary evidences like grisly 911 audio from Keyona and detailed police report. This information helped expose reality of what happened at 553 Sheldon Avenue SE and triggered international manhunt for the person behind it all. While still grappling with their losses, society is still trying to bring closure through seeking justice over this case which remains etched in mind for many people affected by these events.
The Suspect in this Terrible Death
Derrell Demon Brown, who was referred to as Jay within the family is being blamed for allegedly causing the death of Keyona Griffin, a 25 year old lady living with her family in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This man who at that time was aged 45 and was dating Keyona’s aunt Cherletta Baber-Bey had been staying together with them for around two years before the tragedy struck. Keyona had already expressed her uneasiness about Brown’s presence in their house and had even been thinking about moving out.
Keyona Griffin: The Day this Murder Happened
Jacqueline Baber-Bey went to work at eight o’clock that morning leaving Cherletta, Keyona plus Brown at home. There were few details known about Brown by the family except that they only knew him as Jay and did not know his real name or any of his criminal records. He is said to have been the first serious boyfriend ever dated by Cherletta according to sources from her side of the family who have also hinted that instead of mingling with others, he spent most of his time inside their bedroom. Despite not interacting socially there was no one who could thought possibly brown would be violent.
Concerns and Red Flags
Ongah, Cherletta’s sister raised concerns over brown particularly his unemployment status and financial dependence on cherletta. This dependency was a matter up for debate among members of the family. Further still he did not have any social media profile neither did he relate well with child support payments leading into legal tussles.
The Investigation Begins
Investigations from police indicated that Brown has exhibited unique patterns associated with crime over time. One empty gun box found at the crime scene led to a stolen firearm linked to brown through an ex-girlfriend report earlier made against him by this ex-girlfriend which include issues such harassment and domination that are typical of what his mannerisms might look like.
A History of Violence
Brown’s criminal record shows felony assault as well as domestic violence. In a particularly savage incident, he assaulted another ex-girlfriend in 2005 by subjecting her to various forms of physical and psychological torture right before her own children. The act of violence was similar to the controlling behavior exhibited by Cherletta.
A Cry for Help
Cherletta sought help from Reverend Robert Dean in an attempt to address brown’s possessiveness. Unfortunately this rather extremely volatile nature led to a fierce confrontation when Brown found out about Cherletta’s plea for help. It is a sad story, which will always be remembered as one about Keyona Griffin and her aunt Cherletta Baber-Bey where everything starts off so well only to end up tragically and domestically shattered. Meanwhile, Derrell Demon Brown is still at large and this story reminds us all that there can exist unseen dangers within homes and relationships that seem perfectly peaceful and have no reason for any suspicion under normal conditions.
Keyona Griffin: The Hunt Continues for Her Killer
DeRell Demon Brown is still the main suspect. He is in the tragic murder of Keyona Griffin and her aunt, Cherletta Baber-Bey. For instance, the police have not had a breakthrough to catch Brown. This has made people suspect he might be getting help. The help might come from friends or family members who might be hiding him. They are now searching several other states. Brown has connections to these states. They include Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania. They are trying harder to arrest him. The U.S. Marshall Service has made Brown one of the nation’s top fifteen most wanted criminals. They will pay up to 25 thousand dollars for information that can lead to his arrest.
Tragic Fire Claims Life of Keyona Griffin’s Grandmother
Keyona Griffin’s grandmother Jacqueline Baber-Bey and her grandson Emareyon Cummings were killed in a tragic fire in July 2020. The occurrence happened at the same place where Keyona and Cherletta passed away slightly over one year before. After being rushed by ambulance to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Emareyon could not make it and died there, unfortunately. Jacqueline was found dead inside her house. The fire added tragedy upon tragedy for a family already grieving.
Remembering Keyona Griffin
A Life Interrupted
During this time, she lived with her grandmother in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was twenty-five at death. She had close family but a strained bond with Brown. So, her life was full of hope and unfulfilled dreams. Her timely death has left a void for those who knew her, requiring more urgency in finding justice for them.
The Path to Justice
Keyona Griffin’s community and relatives hope to bring Derrell Demon Brown to justice someday. His manhunt is ongoing. The suffering caused by this crime affects more than just its direct victims. It is a grim reminder of why we need to check violence. The authorities are not letting up. They are arresting Brown to have him face trial for the suspected crimes.
In the Shadow of Tragedy
The losses that Keyona Griffin’s family faced highlight a wider theme. It’s about violence and its effects on communities. It’s a somber reminder. It shows the importance of staying vigilant and supporting victims’ families. We must tirelessly pursue justice. We must do so even when circumstances seem impossible. For example, the continued efforts to arrest Brown.
