The sole survivor of the Indiana murder house vividly recalls the horrifying moment his teenage brother shot and killed six family members, describing the chaos and heartbreak as his sister screamed, "Raymond shot Elijah," followed by their father's final words: "I'm sorry Raymond, I love you."
Kezzie Childs, 42, Raymond Childs, 42, Elijah Childs, 18, Rita Childs, 13, Kiara Hawkins, 19, and Hawkins' unborn child were all slayed, January 24 of 2021, in that attack, according to IndyStar.
The argument, which began after Childs, 17, returned home without permission, escalated, leading him to use a Draco 7.62 firearm to carry out the killings.
The sole survivor, Childs' 15-year-old brother, was found critically wounded on the front porch, IndyStar also revealed.
The surviving brother heard two gunshots, according to the probable cause affidavit, prompting his father to get out of bed and run to the stairs, shouting, "What was that?" Moments later, he heard his sister, R.C. (Rita Childs), scream, "Raymond shot Elijah!" before another gunshot rang out, followed by his father's final words: "I'm sorry Raymond, I love you."
Before Childs opened fire on his brother, the younger teen desperately begged for his life, offering, "I can give you 40 dollars. I won't say anything. Please don't kill me," as detailed in court documents.
Following a week-long trial, Childs, was convicted, Indystar revealed, of the mass shooting that claimed the lives of six family members in January 2021.
After approximately three hours of deliberation, the jury found Childs guilty of six counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of carrying a handgun without a license.
Childs is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2025.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald.
