On a tragic Friday afternoon, September 6, 2024, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the life of 22-year-old Amiah Prather was cut short. She was discovered inside her vehicle near the intersection of 13th Avenue and 65th Street, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound to the head. At eight months pregnant, she was on the cusp of welcoming her fourth child, a daughter she planned to name Honesti.
First responders rushed her to a local hospital where doctors performed an emergency C-section in a desperate attempt to save her baby, but Honesti did not survive. Amiah was then airlifted to a hospital in Milwaukee, where she too was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shocking incident quickly focused on 25-year-old Lawrence G. Franklin Jr., a man with a documented history of domestic violence involving Prather. According to court documents, the shooting may have stemmed from a dispute over paying for a meal. The day of the murder, Franklin was allegedly present when the firearm used in the shooting was purchased by another individual. Following the incident, Franklin fled, sparking an intensive manhunt. Police warned the public that he was considered armed and dangerous and noted he had connections in Kenosha, Racine, and South Milwaukee. Authorities also indicated that several individuals may have assisted Franklin after the homicide.
After a manhunt that lasted over two months, the U.S. Marshal Service apprehended Lawrence Franklin in Plano, Texas, on November 21, 2024. He was subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the deaths of Amiah and her unborn child, Honesti. The charges were enhanced by his status as a repeater. Franklin also faced charges for possession of a firearm by a felon and multiple counts of felony bail jumping, as he was out on bond for previous domestic violence cases involving Prather at the time of the shooting. Another individual, a 22-year-old woman, was charged with straw purchasing the firearm for Franklin just hours before the deadly shooting. While law enforcement described Franklin as having a relationship with Prather, her family has disputed this, stating the unborn child was not his.
