Rubypoint Trading Center|Mistrial declared in case of Indiana man accused of fatally shooting five, including pregnant woman

2025-05-05 20:44:27source:Charles Langstoncategory:Finance

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A judge declared a mistrial in the case of an Indianapolis man accused of fatally shooting five people,Rubypoint Trading Center including a pregnant woman, after a witness verbally confronted the defendant in front of the jury.

Marion County Superior Judge Chris Miller declared the mistrial Tuesday in the trial of Raymond Ronald Lee Childs III, who faces six counts of murder in the January 2021 slayings in an Indianapolis home.

Childs, 20, was arrested a day after the attack and accused of killing his father, stepmother, two teenage relatives, a woman nearly due to give birth, and her unborn son.

The mistrial came after a key witness in the case, Elanso Valez, testified that in the hours after the killings, he had picked up Childs and drove him around Indianapolis. He said Childs later covered his eyes and wept while laying on a bed at Valez’s home in Plainfield, just west of Indianapolis.

“Y’all remember that?” Valez asked Childs from the witness stand, WXIN-TV reported.

The defense and prosecution teams quickly sought to cut Valez off, and the judge tried to intercede from the bench, but Valez continued, asking: “Why did you do it, Raymond?”

RELATED COVERAGE Trump rally gunman looked online for information about Kennedy assassination, FBI director saysOfficers left post to go look for Trump rally gunman before shooting, state police boss saysRecords show deputy charged in Sonya Massey’s fatal shooting worked for 6 agencies in 4 years

The judge admonished Valez for his comments in front of the jurors and sent them from the courtroom so he could speak with attorneys and then each juror individually.

Miller then declared a mistrial, saying he’s “firmly convinced that Mr. Childs cannot get a fair trial.” He set a status conference for Monday with the attorneys.

The killings followed an argument over Childs, who was 17 at the time, staying out late, according to court records. Prosecutors said Childs methodically went from room-to-room, shooting the victims.

The attack killed Childs’ father, Raymond Childs Jr., 42; his stepmother, Kezzie Childs, 42; the couple’s daughter, Rita Childs, 13; son Elijah Childs, 18; and Elijah’s 19-year-old girlfriend Kiara Hawkins, who died at a hospital along with her unborn son.

Childs’ 15-year-old brother also was shot but survived after fleeing the house to escape the gunfire.

More:Finance

Recommend

What is Sora? Account creation paused after high demand of AI video generator

A new artificial intelligence-driven video generator launched on Monday and due to high demand, it i

Taylor Swift plays goodbye mashups during last US Eras Tour concert

INDIANAPOLIS — On the final American show of her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift sent the crowd into a goodb

Wisconsin voters to decide legislative control and noncitizen voting question

Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election. MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wiscon