In the quiet hours of a January morning in Indianapolis, the life of 19-year-old Kiara Hawkins and her unborn son, who was to be named Khaos, were tragically cut short. On January 24, 2021, Kiara, who was nine months pregnant and just days away from her due date, was shot and killed in a mass shooting that claimed the lives of five other people.
The devastating event unfolded at a home on Adams Street.
According to prosecutors, the gunman, 17-year-old Raymond Childs III, became enraged after an argument with his father, Raymond Childs Jr., about staying out late. In the ensuing rampage, Childs is said to have systematically shot members of his family. He started upstairs, where his 18-year-old brother, Elijah Childs, was watching television with his girlfriend, Kiara Hawkins. He shot his brother in the back of the head and then shot Kiara through her right ear.
The violence continued as Childs then shot his 13-year-old sister, Rita, in her bedroom before proceeding to the basement where he killed his 42-year-old father, Raymond Childs Jr., and his 42-year-old stepmother, Kezzie Childs. A younger brother, who was 15 at the time, was also in the basement and witnessed the shootings. He managed to escape the house but was shot twice as he fled. This surviving brother was able to identify his older sibling as the shooter to the police.
Raymond Childs III was arrested the following day at a relative's home. He was charged as an adult with six counts of murder for the deaths of his father, stepmother, brother, sister, Kiara Hawkins, and her unborn child. He was also charged with the attempted murder of his younger brother. His first trial in July 2024 ended in a mistrial after a witness had a verbal outburst in the courtroom.
A new trial began in October 2024, and after five days, the jury found Raymond Childs III guilty on all charges. Despite the conviction, Childs maintained his innocence, stating at his sentencing hearing, 'I'm not a killer. I'm not a murderer.' In March 2025, a judge sentenced him to 360 years in prison for his crimes.
