Raymond Childs Jr (father) Kezzie Childs (step mother)
Criminal penalty
360 years' life sentences without the possibility of parole
Details
Victims
Raymond Childs Jr Kezzie Childs Elijah Childs Rita Childs Kiara Hawkins (Infant)
Country
U.S.
Raymond Childs III (born October 30, 2003)[1] is an American convicted mass murderer who was sentenced to 360 years in prison for the 2021 killings of five family members and an unborn child in Indianapolis, Indiana.[2] At the time of the crime, Childs was 17 years old.[3]
Childs III was arrested the following day at a relative's residence and was later indicted in connection with six shootings. His first trial, held in July 2024, ended in a mistrial due to a courtroom disturbance involving a witness. A retrial commenced in October 2024 and concluded after five days with a guilty verdict on all charges. On March 10, 2025, Childs was sentenced to six consecutive life sentences as well as an attempted murder charge, totaling 360 years, for the murder convictions.
Early life
Raymond Ronald Lee Childs III, also known as Raymond Childs III, was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. His father, Raymond Childs Jr,[4] was a music producer and the founder of JusReal Records. The Childs family actively participated in youth-oriented programs such as Nu Street, Nu Path, and Nu Wave Inc., which focused on supporting and mentoring young people through music and related initiatives.[5]
2021 mass shooting
On January 24, 2021, a mass shooting took place at a residence on East 36th Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, resulting in the deaths of five individuals and an unborn child.[6] At approximately 3:43a.m., the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of a shooting and arrived at the 3500 block of Adams Street, where they found a 15-year-old male with multiple gunshot wounds on the porch of a residence. The occupants of the home had contacted emergency services after hearing gunfire. The teenager was transported to a hospital in critical condition and, before undergoing surgery, identified his older brother Childs III, as the alleged perpetrator. According to court documents, the teen stated that his brother had shot him and their parents, adding, “He shot them... I think they’re dead.”[7]
According to reports, the incident was allegedly triggered by a dispute over Childs III violating his curfew.[8] He had taken his father's car without permission on a Saturday night, an action family members stated was not permitted. Upon his return after midnight, his father, Raymond Childs II, reportedly said that consequences would follow.[9]
Following a late-night dispute, Raymond Childs III allegedly retrieved two 9-millimeter firearms in the early hours of the morning, and proceeded to shoot members of his family.[10] Prosecutors stated that he moved through the house, shooting victims in separate rooms.[11]
At the time of the incident, Childs III was 17 years old.[12] He was accused of fatally shooting his father, Raymond Childs Jr. (42); his stepmother, Kezzie Childs (42); his siblings, Elijah Childs (18) and Rita Childs (13); his brother's partner, Kiara Hawkins (19); and Hawkins’ unborn child.[4][13] A 15-year-old sibling survived the shooting with gunshot wounds and contacted authorities.[14]
Childs fled the scene and was arrested the following day at a relative's residence. The firearms used in the shooting were later turned over to police by extended family members.[3] According to IndianapolisMetropolitan Police Chief Randal Taylor, the incident was the city's deadliest mass shooting in over a decade.[15]
Legal proceedings
Childs was formally charged with six counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of unlawful possession of a handgun. His initial trial in July 2024 ended in a mistrial following a courtroom disturbance involving a witness. A retrial began in October 2024 and concluded with a guilty verdict on all counts after five days of proceedings.[16]
On March 10, 2025, a judge in Marion County sentenced Childs to 360 years in prison.[17] The sentence consisted of consecutive terms for each murder conviction, emphasizing the gravity of the offenses.[8]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
