Keisha Lynn Seeley, a 34-year-old resident of Mattoon, Illinois, tragically lost her life on Sunday, November 10, 2024, in a murder-suicide incident. The event occurred at 817 N. 34th St., near the intersection of 34th Street and Powell Lane, where Seeley and her partner, Davontye Browder, 37, were found dead.
According to the Mattoon Police Department and Coles County Coroner Ed Schniers, Browder murdered Seeley before taking his own life.
Both individuals died from a single gunshot wound to the head. The bodies were discovered by their 17-year-old daughter, Bethany, while their 11-year-old daughter, Kamiah, ran to a neighbor's house to alert the authorities.
The relationship between Browder and Seeley had a history of domestic disputes. Previous incidents included Browder throwing Seeley’s belongings out of the house, tearing up some items, and leaving 11 trash bags in the yard. Despite these incidents, the Mattoon police were criticized by Seeley’s sisters, Tina Thompson and Tasha Weber, for not providing adequate support to Seeley in her times of need.
Seeley was well-regarded in her neighborhood, known for her kindness and community spirit. Her sisters recalled how she would take neighborhood children to a nearby stream to collect rocks for her home landscaping, reflecting her desire for peace and her positive impact on those around her.
Following her death, a GoFundMe campaign was organized by her sister Tasha Weber to support the funeral services and to provide for the future needs of Seeley’s two daughters.
The incident marks the first homicide in Mattoon since August 2019 and highlights the ongoing issue of domestic violence and murder-suicides, which claim numerous lives annually in the United States.
