In the summer of 2018, a tragedy unfolded in Huntsville, Alabama, cutting short the lives of three individuals, including 17-year-old Heaven Hines. On June 19, 2018, Hines, a Black female, was found deceased inside a home on Knollbrook Drive. She was not alone in this grim discovery; with her were her 42-year-old mother, Iris Bynum, and her 16-year-old friend, Xzariah Rice.
The three victims were discovered by a concerned relative, leading to a swift response from the Huntsville Police Department who immediately launched a homicide investigation.
The investigation into the triple homicide quickly pointed to a suspect with a personal connection to one of the victims. Authorities identified 43-year-old Rodney Shawn Geddes as the primary suspect. Geddes was reportedly the ex-boyfriend of Iris Bynum and had been living at the residence where the bodies were found until a recent separation. Investigators determined that the killings were not a random act of violence but rather a targeted attack stemming from the prior relationship.
A manhunt for Geddes ensued, and he was apprehended later the same evening in Franklin County, Tennessee. He was found walking along Interstate 24 and was taken into custody. Following his arrest, Rodney Shawn Geddes was indicted on three counts of capital murder for the deaths of Heaven Hines, Iris Bynum, and Xzariah Rice. He was then extradited back to Huntsville to face the charges brought against him. The community was left to mourn the loss of the three victims, with friends and family remembering Heaven Hines for her bright smile and her close bond with her mother.
