In the final moments of his life, aspiring rapper Rahim Grant had the presence of mind to follow his mother's advice: when trouble arose, he should start recording on his cellphone. This decision would later provide the undeniable evidence that would lead to the conviction of his killer. On December 29, 2017, in a Riverdale, Georgia apartment, Grant was shot seven times and killed. The shooter was Ciera Harp, the 29-year-old mother of his child.
Initially, Harp claimed she shot Grant in self-defense after he attacked her. However, the video captured on Grant's phone told a much different and more harrowing story. For weeks, investigators were unable to access the footage on the phone. Once they did, the chilling events of that day were revealed. The video showed Harp shooting Grant. In the recording, Grant can be heard pleading for a glass of water and expressing a final wish to hug his daughter.
The relationship between Grant and Harp was described as tumultuous. Grant's mother, Geraldine Grant Bryson, stated that Harp was obsessed with her son. This obsession and jealousy reportedly escalated when Grant decided to end their relationship. The tragic shooting unfolded in front of their young daughter.
In May 2019, a Clayton County jury found Ciera Harp guilty of malice murder and aggravated assault. During the sentencing hearing, Harp expressed remorse, stating she was drunk and not in her right mind at the time of the shooting. In a surprising and emotional turn, Harp's own mother, Adrienne Thurmond, testified against her, calling her a manipulative liar and urging the judge to impose the maximum sentence. Thurmond even requested that the court order her daughter to be sterilized. In June 2019, Ciera Harp was sentenced to 125 years in prison for the murder of Rahim Grant. Subsequently, in February 2025, Grant's sister, Lavoya Williams, supported Harp's motion for a new trial, alleging that her brother had been mentally abusive towards Harp.
