In March of 2019, a tragic event unfolded inside a home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, forever altering the lives of one family. On the morning of March 13th, authorities were called to a residence on Sheldon Avenue SE following a distressing 911 call. Inside, they discovered the bodies of 47-year-old Charletta Dominque Baber-Bey, a female, and her 25-year-old niece, Keyona Griffin.
Both women had been shot to death in what was quickly determined to be a double homicide.
The investigation into the brutal slayings soon focused on a single individual: Derrell Demon Brown, Charletta's live-in boyfriend. It was revealed that Brown, who had a history of domestic violence, had vanished from the home and became the primary person of interest in the case. As detectives delved deeper, a felony warrant was issued for Brown for receiving and concealing a stolen firearm. This initial charge allowed law enforcement to pursue him on a national level while the homicide investigation continued to build.
In the days and weeks that followed, more chilling details of the crime came to light. It was reported that Keyona Griffin had made a harrowing 911 call, whispering to the dispatcher that her aunt had already been killed and that she was next. Despite a swift police response, officers were unable to make contact with anyone inside the home and left the scene. The gravity of the situation was realized later when the two women were found deceased. Surveillance footage from the area captured Brown near the crime scene shortly after the murders are believed to have occurred.
As the search for Derrell Brown intensified, a nationwide manhunt was launched, with law enforcement agencies across the country being alerted to be on the lookout for the fugitive. Rewards were offered for information leading to his arrest, and he was eventually charged with two counts of murder. Brown is known to use several aliases, including Darryl Robinson, Carter Brown, and Marcus Wright, among others. Despite numerous tips and possible sightings over the years, Derrell Demon Brown remains at large, leaving the family of Charletta Baber-Bey and Keyona Griffin still waiting for justice.
