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The Indianapolis teen accused of gunning down four family members, as well as his brother’s pregnant girlfriend has been hit with murder charges, officials said Thursday.

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office filed six murder charges against the 17-year-old suspect — identified as Raymond Ronald Lee Childs III — in connection to the Sunday bloodbath.

Childs III, who was charged as an adult under Indiana state law, was also charged with one count of attempted murder and one count of carrying a handgun without a license.

The teen allegedly shot dead his dad Raymond Childs Jr., 42; his step-mom Kezzie Childs, 42; his two siblings Elijah Childs, 18, and Rita Childs, 13; and his brother’s pregnant girlfriend Kiara Hawkins, 19.

Hawkins was rushed to an area hospital, but doctors were unable to save her and her unborn son.

One of the six murder counts is for the death of Hawkins and Elijah Childs’ unborn baby, who was due in just one week, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said at a press conference Thursday.

Childs III’s 15-year-old brother, Xavier Childs – who was the sole survivor of the mass shooting — was critically wounded in the mayhem, but lived to tell authorities what happened.

“He heard the gunshots,” Mears said of the survivor. “He was able to flee that residence and as he was fleeing the residence, he sustained multiple gunshots.”


  Kiara Hawkins was one of five people found dead at the scene. GoFundMe Kiara Hawkins was one of five people found dead at the scene. GoFundMe

The horrific incident unfolded early Sunday at the family’s Indianapolis home on Adams Street following a spat between the alleged shooter and his father.

“It certainly appears there was an argument between father and son that took place inside the residence,” Mears said, explaining, “There’s an allegation about staying out too late, which is what maybe started the initial argument and where it went from there is something we’re still trying to piece together.”

The surviving victim told authorities that Childs III “had gotten in trouble that night for leaving the house without permission,” according to a probable cause affidavit.

“When Childs III got home his father Raymond Childs, Jr. told Childs III that he would be in trouble later,” the affidavit says.

Childs III allegedly went on the killing spree using two weapons – a 9mm handgun and a Draco firearm, said Mears.

It’s believed that the weapons were firearms that the family owned, the prosecutor said.

Kezzie Childs and 13-year-old daughter Rita were among the victims.
Kezzie Childs and 13-year-old daughter Rita were among the victims. Facebook

According to the affidavit, Xavier was downstairs in the home with his parents when he heard two or three gunshots from upstairs and his sister shout, “He shot Elijah!”

Xavier, who at that point was in the laundry room on the floor, told authorities that his brother came downstairs and shot both of his parents.

“Another gunshot went off, and he [Xavier] heard his dad say ‘I’m sorry, Raymond, I love you,’” the affidavit says, noting, “Another six or seven gunshots went off.”

“When he heard the shooting stop he ran out of the house through as side door as fast as he could,” but Childs III chased him, according to the affidavit.

Xavier pleaded, “Here bro, I can give you forty dollars, I won’t say anything, please don’t kill me,” the documents say.

“He just looked at me and then he shot me on the leg. I fell. He shot me in my arm. And then he tried to shoot me in the head, but missed, I guess,” the younger brother told police, according to the affidavit.

Authorities had tracked down Childs III’s girlfriend, identified in the affidavit only as J.D., through a Kentucky Fried Chicken where they both worked.

J.D. told detectives that the suspect came over her house to spend the night on Sunday, but while he was there, “he got a phone call from his dad telling him to come home,” according to the affidavit, which says J.D. got him to go back to his house in an Uber.

Later that night, Childs III came back to his girlfriend’s house and said that “his father kicked him out,” the document says.

About 30 minutes after the suspect came back, J.D. got an alert on her phone about a shooting on Adams Street.

J.D. asked him if he knew anything about it and he said no, she told authorities.

Later in the morning, J.D. “convinced” the teen to go to crime scene.

“She stated Childs III was nervous to go to the scene, and when they got there, he began crying and ‘acted like clown.’ She had never seen him like this before,” according to the affidavit.

The accused teen killer was later arrested in the case Monday after cops tracked him down to a relative’s home in the suburb of Plainfield, Indiana, officials said.

It was there where police recovered the Draco firearm, according to officials. The 9 mm was recovered inside the Childs’ family home.

Childs III reportedly appears in online music videos where he raps about shooting and killing while holding up weapons.

“It certainly appears in one of the videos, that there’s those firearms — a very strong resemblance to the firearms that were recovered [by police],” said Mears.

Penalties for murder in Indiana is a minimum of 45 to a maximum 65 years behind bars.

“We are in a position to potentially pursue a life-without-parole sentence in this case,” Mears said.

A judge ordered Childs III held without bond during his initial court hearing Thursday.

Mears said he was “heartbroken” by the case.

“Not only did so many people lose their lives, but you think about that family and what they were anticipating. The baby was due in a week,” said Mears. “I’ve got two young kids myself and when you think about the fact that the family was preparing for a child — that was probably gonna’ be the best day in Ms. Hawkins’ life.”

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