Back in 2019, news of the death of Keyona Griffin spread like wildfire on social media platforms, most notably TikTok. The 25-year-old made headlines when a phone call to 911 got leaked online.
While the events surrounding Griffin’s death were tragic, people were more interested in the way the police responded to the situation. Some believe the authorities should have done more to prevent this tragedy, but the cops insisted they did all they could.
So, if you’re a true crime enthusiast and would like to find out what happened to Keyona, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about her life and death.
Keyona Griffin’s Profile Summary
| Full Name | Keyona Griffin |
| Gender | Female |
| Place of Birth | Michigan, US |
| Date of Birth | 8th March 1994 |
| Place of Death | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Date of Death | 13th March 2019 |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Parents | John and Ongah Griffin |
| Siblings | Sanford Cummings II |
Keyona Griffin’s Early Life
Before I jump into the events that occurred in 2019, you should know a few facts about Keyona Griffin’s life.
Keyona came into the world on the 8th of March, 1994, to parents John and Ongah Griffin. She grew up with an only brother, Sanford Cummings II, and the family seemed to lead a quiet life.
People often described Keyona as a warm and kind person. They say that she was a sweetheart and had a smile that could brighten up any room.
This garnered her a lot of popularity in her Michigan neighborhood. Sadly, that didn’t stop Griffin from meeting a tragic ending.
Events Leading Up to Keyona Griffin’s Death
Keyona lived in a small home on 553 Sheldon in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her grandmother Jacqueline Barber-Bey, and aunt Cherletta Barber-Bey. The three shared responsibilities around the house and enjoyed a peaceful life, away from the public eye.
Jacqueline was the matriarch, taking on the role of caretaker, while Cherletta was the quiet one, preferring to hide away and spending most of her time in her room.
As for Keyona, she was bubbly, outgoing, and a joy to be around. Her friends referred to her as the life of the party with an incredibly fun personality. This would all change in 2017.
Cherletta and Jay Meet
While on a trip to the local library, Cherletta ran into a charming man named Jay. The two flirted for a while and exchanged contact information. For a few days, it seemed like that would be the end of the interaction.
Yet, Jay called Cherletta and asked her out on a date, which was the start of a passionate romance. Shortly after, she asked him to move in with her in her family home.
Cherletta and Jay kept to themselves, often spending days on end cooped up in their room. This didn’t sit well with Jacquiline and Keyona.
They felt like Jay was isolating Cherletta from the world. On top of that, he never worked, leading to several financial issues around the house.
With an extra mouth to feed, Keyona, Jacqueline, and Cherletta had to put in extra hours at work to make ends meet. That caused Keyona to rethink her living arrangements.
In 2019, Griffin planned on moving out of her family home and started looking for other apartments. Unfortunately, she met an untimely end and never got the chance to leave.
Keyona Griffin’s 911 Call
The 13th of March 2019 started like every other day—it was a few days after Keytona’s 25th birthday. Jacqueline, Griffin’s grandmother, had left for work at 8 am. Then, at 10:25 am, the young woman made a call to 911.
During the conversation, Griffin was whispering, clearly afraid for her life. She started by stating that she needed help. The 911 operator asked her about her location, but because she was whispering, the address was tough to decipher.
After that, Keyona went on to say, “I need help. Can you just hurry, please? He’s trying to kill me. He already killed my auntie. Just hurry up, please?”
While keeping his calm, the operator informed her that the police were on their way to her location. Finally, just before the call ended, Keyona confirmed her name and then went silent.
Police Response
About seven minutes and 41 seconds after the conversation ended, three police officers arrived at the Grand Rapids residence.
One of the cops headed straight for the front door and knocked three times with his fist and once with the door knocker. However, there was no response.
At that point, the officer tried to jiggle the doorknob and found out the door was locked. That’s when the dispatchers tried to call Keyona back, but there was no answer.
Another one of the troopers went around the house to the side door, which also turned out to be locked. The third officer peeked into one of the windows and noticed an empty dining room.
There were no visible signs of a struggle or any noise coming from the residence. So, after about three minutes and 42 seconds of scoping, the officers left the scene.
Second 911 Call
Around two hours after the police wrapped up the search, another 911 call came in. This time, however, it was Sanford Cummings II, Keyona’s brother.
He was frantic and pleaded with the police to arrive at 553 Sheldon as soon as possible. You can hear him scream out “There’s blood everywhere and my sister’s not moving.”
The police arrived at the scene seven minutes later, where they discovered Cherletta and Keyona’s bodies.
Keyona Griffin’s Cause of Death
Keyona was found with four bullet wounds in her body, including one in her face. As for Cherletta, the police found her on her bed under a blanket, with headphones in her ears and a tablet propped up beside her. She had a single gunshot wound in the back of her head.
From this, the police assumed that the aunt was distracted and didn’t see her attacker coming. Then, Keyona heard the gunshot and tried to hide and call 911, but the shooter located her and took her life.
At this point, the only clear suspect was Jay. There were no signs of him around the Grand Rapids home, and he dropped off the map.
Who Killed Keyona Griffin?
With the investigation into the deaths of Cherletta and Keyona underway, the police started asking the family about any information they had on Jay. No one knew much about him, not even his last name.
However, Jacqueline remembered that she’d heard the stories about Jay’s previous stint in jail. She mentioned that the suspect had spent some time behind bars due to failing to pay his child support.
Using this information, the police searched the Grand Rapids residence from top to bottom. That’s when Officer Amanda Johnson noticed an orange Nike shoe box in the back of the closet.
In the container, she found letters that Cherletta sent Jay while he was in jail. The police soon discovered that Jay’s real name was Derrell Demon Brown, and he had an extensive criminal record.
Now, all facts pointed to Brown as the apparent assailant.
Keyona Griffin’s Murder Weapon
During the search, the police saw a box of ammunition and a 9 mm Hi-Point pistol. Later, they confirmed that this was the murder weapon used to end Keyona’s life.
Luckily, the gun came with a serial number, which allowed the cops to track down the owner, an unnamed woman. This seemed to throw suspicion off of Derrell until two valuable records came to light.
In 2017, the owner of the gun had reported it stolen in late July. Plus, she filed a complaint in 2018 stating that her ex-boyfriend, known as ‘Jay,’ was harassing her via text and phone calls.
That all but confirms that Derrell ‘Jay’ Brown, had some hand in the tragic untimely death of Keyona and her aunt Cherletta. To this day, Brown is still a wanted man, with no information about his whereabouts.
Wrapping Up
Keyona Griffin was born on 8th March 1994, and died on the 13th March 2019, a few days after her 25th birthday. She was found, along with her aunt Cherletta, in their Grand Rapids residence by Keyona’s brother, Sanford Cummings II.
The main suspect in their death is Derrell ‘Jay’ Brown, who was Cherletta’s boyfriend at the time of her death, but he’s yet to be found.
