Authorities have sentenced a man for killing six of his family members. He was just 17 at the time and reportedly committed the murders after being punished for breaking a curfew.
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Per a report by WTHR, authorities sentenced Raymond Childs III, 20, to 360 years in prison on March 10, 2025. A jury convicted Childs in October 2024 for murdering Raymond Jr, 42, Kezzie Childs, 42, Rita Childs, 13, Elijah Childs, 18, and Kiara Hawkins, 19, on January 24, 2001. Kiara's unborn baby was the sixth victim. Childs' 15-year-old brother Xavier fled the house and survived with two gunshot wounds.
The outlet explains the Judge sentenced Childs to 55 years for each murder. He also received 30 years for the attempted murder of his brother. According to the Daily Mail, prosecutors say he opened fire on the family with a Draco 7.62 pistol and a 9MM handgun.
Xavier reportedly told officers he heard his father tell Childs, "I'm sorry, Raymond, I love you," before Childs shot him in his bed. Xavier allegedly pleaded with his brother not to kill Elijah, saying, "I can give you 40 dollars. I won't say nothing. Please don't kill me." Xavier's brother reportedly shot him twice while he begged for his life on the porch.
Per The News Observer, the shooting allegedly stemmed from Childs breaking curfew and his father punishing him. He had reportedly taken his father's car without permission. When he returned, his dad said he would face consequences.
Childs Insists He Is Innocent Despite Overwhelming Evidence
Despite the evidence, Raymond Childs III proclaims he is innocent. He told the courtroom, "Just as I said here four years ago, I'm innocent. It's not a day that goes by where I don't think about them or wish they were here. Even on my bad days, I tell myself that they are still here."
However, Prosecutor Dan Cicchini described the evidence against Childs as overwhelming. "There was cellphone evidence, he was caught with the murder weapon. And, most compellingly, his own brother identified him in open court," Cicchini said. "It would have been nice if he expressed some form of remorse about what happened," he added.
