On September 7, 2020, the life of 17-year-old Asia Lionetta Cowell, a Black female from Newport News, Virginia, was tragically cut short in a calculated and brutal act. An aspiring hairstylist and fashion designer, the Granby High School senior was lured from her home under the guise of a hairdressing appointment she had arranged through Instagram. This appointment, however, was a deceptive trap laid by individuals intent on silencing her permanently.
Cowell was reported missing by her family that same day, sparking a desperate search that would end in heartbreak.
The motive behind this horrific crime was to prevent Asia from testifying in court against a man she had accused of attempted rape and sodomy months earlier. Investigators revealed a chilling plot orchestrated by three people connected to the accused. After being lured to a home in Norfolk, Asia was ambushed, subdued, and then forced into a car at gunpoint. She was driven to a desolate, wooded area in Newport News, in the vicinity of Fort Eustis. There, after being walked deep into the woods, the young woman was shot and killed. Her body was discovered by authorities on September 23, 2020.
The investigation led to the arrests of three individuals: Crystal Kaiser-Albritton, her husband Devin Albritton, and Dazha Feaster. Feaster was the sister of the man Asia had accused of sexual assault. Court documents revealed that Crystal Albritton had initially ordered the then-underage Feaster to shoot Asia. When Feaster hesitated, Crystal took the gun and fired the fatal shot herself. Devin Albritton, while not present at the murder, later admitted to disposing of Asia's cell phone and other personal effects.
Justice for Asia Cowell saw all three perpetrators held accountable for their roles in the kidnapping and murder. Crystal Kaiser-Albritton pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and a related gun charge and was sentenced to life in prison. Devin Albritton also pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received a sentence of 50 years, with 11 years suspended, meaning he will serve 39 years. Dazha Feaster was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her part in the crime. Following Asia's murder, the sexual assault charges against Feaster's brother were withdrawn because the prosecution could not proceed without its key witness.
