Raymond Childs III, now 21, has been sentenced to 360 years in prison for the brutal killing of six family members, including an unborn child, following an argument about his curfew.
The sentencing concludes a case that started in 2021, and one that shocked the Indianapolis community and drew national attention to the tragic consequences of domestic violence.
The massacre occurred in the early hours of January 24, 2021, when Childs, then 17, opened fire on his father, Raymond Childs Jr., 42; his stepmother, Kezzie Childs, 42; his brother, Elijah Childs, 18; his sister, Rita Childs, 13; and his brother’s pregnant girlfriend, Kiara Hawkins, 19. Hawkins was in the late stages of pregnancy when she and her unborn child were killed.
According to prosecutors, Childs took his father’s vehicle without permission the night before the killings. When he returned home after midnight, his father informed him that he would face consequences for breaking curfew.
Rather than accept his punishment, Childs retrieved a firearm and systematically executed his family members inside their home on Adams Street. His 15-year-old brother, Xavier Childs, attempted to flee, even offering his brother money to spare his life, but Childs shot him as well.
Xavier miraculously survived his injuries and managed to seek help from a neighbor, leading to Childs’ arrest the following day. Authorities later recovered the murder weapon in his possession.
During his October 2023 trial, Childs was convicted on six counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of carrying a handgun without a license. His sentencing includes 55 years for each of the six killings, 55 years for the death of the unborn child, and an additional 30 years for the attempted murder of Xavier Childs.
Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, including his brother’s testimony and the weapon recovery, Childs maintained his innocence during sentencing.
“I’m not no killer, I’m not no murderer, I’m not no bad person,” he told the court.
His defense attorney, Ray Casanova, argued that Childs had grown up in a violent and neglectful household. However, prosecutors pointed to the calculated nature of the killings as justification for the severe sentence.
The case has underscored the devastating impact of youth violence and the far-reaching consequences of domestic disputes. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett previously described the tragedy as “an act of evil” and part of a disturbing pattern of mass shootings in the city.
