On a cold November evening in Detroit, Michigan, 16-year-old Keyasha O'Neal was making her way back to the warmth of a home she had run away from. That evening, on November 28, 2010, her journey was tragically cut short. Near the intersection of Robinwood and East Seven Mile, an area shrouded in darkness due to broken streetlights, Keyasha was fatally shot in the back of the head. An African American female, her life was ended before she had the chance to truly begin.
Keyasha's mother, Deborah O'Neal, described her daughter as a chronic runaway, but emphasized that on that fateful night, she was trying to return home. The motive for the killing remains unclear, though police have stated they do not believe it was a random act of violence. Investigators learned that at least three males were seen in the vicinity around the time of the shooting, but no specific suspects were ever publicly identified. The lack of witnesses and the darkness that blanketed the street created significant challenges for law enforcement in the immediate aftermath of the crime.
In the weeks and months that followed, the Detroit Police Department, in partnership with CrimeStoppers of Michigan, issued a plea to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest. A reward of $2,500 was offered, with the assurance that tipsters could remain anonymous. Despite these efforts, and the belief that someone in the community held the key to solving the case, no arrests have ever been made. Keyasha O'Neal's murder remains an unsolved cold case, a source of enduring pain for her family who are still awaiting justice for their daughter's untimely death.
