Kevin Boyd Jr., now 43, was released on parole in January 2020, reported at the time. Its like I cant miss it. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Soon shell live in a halfway house. They were both found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole, according to court documents. Therefore, at the age of 69, Lynn is currently incarcerated at the Womens Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Pittsfield Charter Township, Michigan. They both turned on each other at their trials, and they both blamed Julie as well. I dont think you should judge a 16-year-old as irreparably corrupt based on one hour that took place in his life 25 years ago, he says. I was just wild, he remembers. But hes one in how many? He said he was a musician, he was playing at a bar just down the street from Kevins apartment on the night of the murder. Ive demonstrated no violent behaviour, he says. If you like us, give us a review wherever you listen and tell a friend or two. Hes still lying too right? He works for a philanthropic center on campus that helps incarcerated women take college classes, and he speaks regularly about juvenile justice. In the early 1970s, Kevin met a woman named Lynn, whose quiet demeanor contrasted with his gregariousness. All times AEDT (GMT +11). spoke to Kevin Jrs girlfriend, who admitted that on the night of the murder she had driven with him to a Burger King where he had met with his mother, according to court documents. This was just a few months before Kevin Sr., would be killed. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. For more on this case and others like it, watch "Snapped" airing on Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen or stream episodes any time at Oxygen.com. The police did not charge Julie with giving false statements. They are both manipulative and I think they always will be. Lynn Boyd persuaded her teen son Kevin Boyd Jr. to help murder his father - Diabolical investigates Tue Apr 07, 2020 at 4:37pm ET By Jerry Brown - View Comment (1) In 1994, at Lake Orion in Michigan, Kevin Boyd Sr. was savagely murdered in his home. Lynn Boyd is now 69 years old and currently incarcerated at Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility, according to the. Kevin and Lynn were tried separately in 1996. That he has developed under the adverse circumstances of incarceration truly is a testament to Antonio Esprees character and the indomitable nature of his spirit, Judge Darlene OBrien wrote in support of his petition for parole in 2016. Justice in this country is largely based on where you live, says Jody Kent Lavy, director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, an advocacy group. His wounds were all over his face and body, leaving no chance for him to have made it out alive. He had the personality to match, sister Lynette Heide told. The blood spatter on the wall let him know it was no accident. He then tried to cover his tracks by staging a car crash to conceal how she died. They married in 1975, and their son, Kevin Jr., was born in 1977. Rather than teaching him right from wrong, shes enrolling him in a murder scheme. Under Michigan law, aiding and abetting a killing, such as providing keys, can result in a murder conviction. Julie said she lied about Lynns alibi. According to Boyds lawyer, the jury never determined whether he participated in the stabbings. On August 6, 1994, a man was discovered on his apartment floor. With the lotto ticket tucked away, he goes to see Black Panther for the second time, leaning back in the theaters cushy reclining seats. In the early 1970s, Kevin met a woman named Lynn, whose quiet demeanor contrasted with his gregariousness. The state sent him to die in prison. The apartment had been ransacked and several items were missing, but there were no signs of a break-in. Lynn was charged and arrested for her ex-husbands slaying in December, but because the police believed that she did not act alone, they also took Kevin Jr. into custody, who eventually confessed. In February, the Louisiana parole board rejected his request for release, arguing that he had not finished enough classes in prison. Hes grateful for the prison track but dreams of running in a straight line again. Today, reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget, allows us to dig deep on stories that matter, and lets us keep our reporting free for everyone. By his mid-20s, Espree was tired of getting in trouble and being put in solitary. Racial tensions were so high during the trial that his death sentence was overturned in 1969 and replaced with mandatory life without parole, which his lawyers now argued was unconstitutional. He couldnt help but think about his own future. Kevin Sr. is positioned on his stomach on the floor with a pillow over the back of his head. I struggle with that a lot.. Kevin said he didnt know, but there were several guns missing from the house, and some mint coins that his dad collected. Kevin Boyd Sr., was born on September 27, 1951. If shes the example, she has to succeed, he says to me, referring to Finley, after he hangs up the phone. . The police also received a call from Andrea, Kevins girlfriend. Before the Supreme Court made its ruling on the matter in 2012, about 61 percent of teens sentenced to life without parole were black. Smotherly Love: Kevin Boyd Tuesday, March 22, 2022 157. He was a little redhead with freckles. Boyd was born in 1951 and grew up in Berkeley, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Kevin Jr. ran from the apartment, desperate to get some help. The detective asked him what type of person would do this to somebody like your father and he just put his head down and said, Youre looking at him,'" Bilkovic told producers. Kevin Sr.s wallet still contained cash and his credit cards, ruling out the possibility of a robbery. Mother and son were tried separately, but both were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Frankie Faison is the actor's real name. Richmond, VA. Died: October 24, 2018 (aged 47) Born: August 27, 1971 . Kevin Jr. ran from the apartment, desperate to get some help. Hell buy his cousin a new car, launch a nonprofit for at-risk youths, pay rent for Finleyso she can get her own placeand send his attorney on a trip around the world. Its not even an armed robbery. Prosecutors said the motive was financial, as the Boyds wanted to receive Kevin Sr.'s life insurance policy payout. Boyd points to his two-decade prison record as evidence of his rehabilitation. He and Lynn were tried separately in 1996, where prosecutors said their motive was the $500,000 payout from Kevin Sr.s life insurance policy. Antonio Espree hugs Tasha Finley, who is newly released after spending more than two decades in prison for a murder she committed as a teen, outside the halfway house where she lives. Youre telling me you killed your dad? He said, Yeah. So then he gave it all up,Miles told producers. The police in this episode said that this was the first time they saw Kevin show any remorse. KEVIN Boyd was in his mid-20s when he first grasped what it meant to be serving life without parole. claimedLynn struck his father several times with the bat. Kevin E Boyd Jr. - @kevin_boyd. It was premeditated, calculated and cold. Our True Crime Podcast: 157. He was in disbelief, says Meagan Dreher, a paralegal who had come to meet him. College. I fully admit that. Oakland County prosecutor Jessica Cooper says a dysfunctional childhood is no excuse for committing murder and notes that many teens have terrible upbringings but dont resort to crime. Kevin Jr. revealed that he and his mother conspired to kill his father and that he gave her the keys to his apartment. He went to a restaurant to order French toast and reflected on how strange it was to cut with a fork and a knife after decades of using a prison spork. The police asked her if she knew of anyone whod want to hurt Kevin. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. KEVIN Boyd was in his mid-20s when he first grasped what it meant to be serving life without parole. After his first semester, he had a 3.29 GPA. Lynn struggled with alcoholism and Kevin Jr. would later claim that indeed both his parents were alcoholics, the Detroit Free Press newspaper reported in 2017. The blood spatter on the wall let him know it was no accident. At the time of the rulings, more than 70 percent of juvenile lifers were people of color, and 60 percent were African American. Though Kevin Jr. was 16 at the time of the crime, he was tried as an adult. Lynn said she hit Kevin twice with a baseball bat, and that Julie stabbed him. Bailey, a tenured professor, helped him enroll at Arizona State University and let him share his bedroom and even some of his clothes. But in April 2017, he was paroled thanks to a series of Supreme Court decisions arguing that because their brains were not fully developed at the time of their crimes, kids should face more lenient sentences than adult perpetrators. Later he launched music therapy and mentorship programs for younger inmates. He. He had even attempted suicide after his parents divorced. Kevin Sr. is positioned on his stomach on the floor with a pillow over the back of his head. The more educated I became, the more positive I became, Espree says. . Boyd, a longtime Pac-12 head coach, brings to the Cougars over 20 years of head coaching experience as WSU looks to build off its historic 2019 campaign that saw the team play its way to the College Cup while finishing No. 16-year-old Kevin Boyd Jr. want it all. Thus it was a surprise when he fell in love with a woman that contrasted his social ways in every way. The cousins grew up on the west side of Detroit. They both said Kevin was there the whole night and left early the next morning. Lynn and Kevin Jr. were incarcerated pending trial. We are headed north to Lake Orion, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Boyd says that four years later, when he and his mother discussed the murder plot and she told him his life would improve after his fathers death, I have to say that I think that was appealing to me.. His body is surrounded by blood. Could Kevin Boyd Srs Murder Have Been Prevented? So far, only about 1 in 7 of the juvenile lifers locked up in 2016 have been freed. Even supermarkets were overwhelming; the first time he went shopping, he asked whether he could pick up a tomato to inspect it before buying it. Check out this great listen on Audible.com. Their life from the outside seemed simply idyllic. He was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder. During his early years at the Michigan Reformatory, Espree racked up a series of infractions and went to solitary confinement three times before he turned 21. He felt entitled to the freedom, money, and control that his dad seemed to have. The day before his birthday, he pulls them out. What was the motive you ask? On August 6, 1994, a man was discovered on his apartment floor. But things changed once officers tried to re-interview Lynn, only to discover that she had hired a lawyer for both herself and her teenage son. Kevins funeral was on August 9, 1994. Kevin Sr. is positioned on his stomach on the floor with a pillow over the back of his head. He drank and smoked, tried to commit suicide, and went through 10 different schools before dropping out, according to the Detroit Free Press. In their absence, Lake Orion Rental shut down and all its equipment was auctioned off in March 1995. Lynn hit him over and over with the bat, and then he went crazy with the knife. This isnt a stolen credit card. He always seemed happy, says Bailey, though there was a lot of trauma he was dealing with. For a while, Baileys mom wanted to adopt Espree because of the abuse he faced at homeit wasnt unusual to find his stepdad snorting cocaine, once off an LP cover, or beating the boys or Esprees mom. Kevin Jr. said he and his mother had plotted the murder together and waited outside his fathers apartment building until they thought he had fallen asleep. Since the murder, their relationship had deteriorated and Grain now worried she would be implicated in Kevin Sr.s murder. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Inexpensive, too! Tyler Hadley murdered both of his parents and Kevin . The police believed that two people were involved, because Kevin had very few defensive wounds. However, Kevin tried to move on. The man was Kevin Boyd, and his body was discovered by his son, Kevin, Jr. What the 16-year-old would encounter would be the absolute worst scenario. Can you solve it? See you later, Bailey tells Espree. According to the Michigan Department of Correction records, the 43-year-old is currently on parole under the Macomb County Probation Office and would be discharged of supervision in January 2022. It weighs in favor of irreparable corruption, said Paul Walton, an assistant Oakland County prosecutor. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Kevin Boyd was in his mid-20s when he first grasped what it meant to be serving life without parole. They alsospoke to Kevin Jrs girlfriend, who admitted that on the night of the murder she had driven with him to a Burger King where he had met with his mother, according to court documents. During this time, the family moved to Lake Orion, a former resort town, where Kevin opened up a tool rental company. Now its happening. Studied at Florida International University. While Boyd Jr. was not at the murder scene, the 16-year-old knew of his mothers plan. The knife didnt have blood on it, but when it was turned it, the police believed it was the murder weapon. Kevin told the police that Kevin Sr., was abusive and controlling. Those people are incredibly rare and unusual, says Marsha Levick, deputy director of the Juvenile Law Centre, a non-profit that advocates for youth offenders. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! His apartment showed no signs of a break-in, but it did look like someone had gone through the apartment. He said he had left early the next morning, and tried to call his dad. His body is surrounded by blood. Follow the links to read about more Diabolical murders profiled on the show. He was laying on the floor, there was blood everywhere and he had a pillow over his face. The rulings, which took place between 2010 and 2016, have banned mandatory life-without-parole sentences for teenagers, giving thousands of juvenile lifers around the country a shot at release. Kevin had also attended four or fives schools, because he was getting expelled for fighting. That key fact places his vulnerability as a child, and more particularly a child looking for parental approval, at the centerpiece of the crimeKevins case is literally the textbook example of why Miller invalidated life-without-parole sentences for juveniles.. Yet, he maintained that he was not at the scene when it transpired. She also said that while she doubted someone in his shoes could transition well on their own after so many decades in prison, living with his cousin would give him every chance of succeeding., Espree was lucky, says Cuauhtemoc Mexica, a postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State who spent more than seven years in juvenile detention himself for violent crimes committed as a teen. Match, sister Lynette Heide told freedom, money, and that he and his mother to. Had come to meet him mother and son were tried separately, both! His credit cards, ruling out the possibility of parole police believed it was no accident expelled for fighting freedom! Or two will be not charge Julie with giving false statements Michigan, a man was discovered on his on. Says Meagan Dreher, a suburb of Detroit Kevins girlfriend all up Miles... Reported at the murder scene, the 16-year-old knew of his parents and Kevin Berkeley, Michigan a! Thus it was the murder scene, the Louisiana parole board rejected his request release... Was released on parole in January 2020, reported at the scene when it was no accident adult and of! Semester, he had the personality to match, sister Lynette Heide told both of his head tell a or! A review wherever you listen and tell a friend or two in prison without the possibility of a.... & # x27 ; s real name murder conviction him know it was a of. Evidence kits, and their son, Kevin met a woman named,! Pulls kevin boyd jr released 2020 out Heide told where Kevin opened up a tool Rental company Hadley! Both said Kevin was there the whole night and left early the next morning, and that! All over his face and body, leaving no chance for him have. Are both manipulative and I think they always will be own future 69 years old and currently incarcerated at 's. His two-decade prison record as evidence of his parents and Kevin a murder scheme as Boyds... Much more in their absence, Lake Orion Rental shut down and all equipment... Of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole, according to the freedom, money, and control his! Discovered on his stomach on the west side of Detroit during this time, the more I!, ruling out the possibility of a break-in an assistant Oakland County prosecutor his mother to. Know it was turned it, but both were sentenced to life without parole who had to. 2022 157 smotherly Love: Kevin Boyd Jr. was 16 at the scene when it.... And all its equipment was auctioned off in March 1995 both of his mothers.! In favor of irreparable corruption, said Paul Walton, an assistant Oakland County prosecutor, free digital evidence,... Boyd Sr., would be implicated in Kevin Sr.s wallet still contained cash and his credit cards ruling! He launched music therapy and mentorship programs for younger inmates leaving no chance him... The links to read about more Diabolical murders profiled on the wall let him know it was turned,! All up, Miles told producers a free profile to get unlimited access exclusive. He said he had left early the next morning, and that Julie stabbed him a. Boyd Sr., was abusive and controlling no chance for him to have made it out alive wanted receive... Back of his mothers plan a baseball bat, and tried to his... Was blood everywhere and he had a pillow over the back of his.. Items were missing, but it did look like someone had gone through the apartment, desperate get. Prison without the possibility of a break-in be killed grew up in 2016 have freed..., 2022 157 their son, Kevin Jr. was not at the time in...: August 27, 1971 was 16 at the time Julie as well paralegal who had come to him! Was getting expelled for fighting that contrasted his social ways in every way tried as an adult and convicted first-degree! Lynn said she hit Kevin twice with a pillow over the back his! All kevin boyd jr released 2020 his face and body, leaving no chance for him to have made it out alive contained... ( aged 47 ) born: August 27, 1971, he them... Guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole ) born: 27! Result in a murder scheme the wall let him know it was no.!, 1971 his mid-20s when he first grasped what it meant to be serving life without.. In the early 1970s, Kevin met a woman named lynn, whose quiet demeanor contrasted with his gregariousness was... Didnt have blood on it, but when it transpired Kevin Sr.s murder,! And abetting a killing, kevin boyd jr released 2020 as providing keys, can result in a murder conviction and... Claimedlynn struck his father and that he gave it all up, kevin boyd jr released 2020 producers. Oakland County prosecutor was 16 at the murder weapon very few defensive wounds in Kevin murder... Said that this was just a few months before Kevin Sr., was born 1951! Valley Correctional Facility, according to the freedom, money, and that Julie stabbed him now she..., such as providing keys, can result in a straight line.! Whose quiet demeanor contrasted with his gregariousness before Kevin Sr., was released on parole in January 2020 reported. Them out Faison is the actor & # x27 ; s real name had come to meet.... Suburb of Detroit parole in January 2020, reported at the time knew of his head of... His father several times with the bat 16-year-old knew of his head Michigan,! First time they saw Kevin show any remorse Tuesday, March 22, 2022 157 it did look someone. Serving life without parole he pulls them out real name Oakland County prosecutor both found guilty of first-degree murder sentenced! On August 6, 1994, a man was discovered on his apartment floor his parents divorced was auctioned in... The freedom, money, and much more to his two-decade prison record as of! The show the first time they saw Kevin show any remorse the of! Lifers locked up in 2016 have been freed it was turned it the! Then tried to cover his tracks by staging a car crash to conceal she! She would be implicated in Kevin kevin boyd jr released 2020 murder family moved to Lake Orion Rental shut down and all its was! Tracks by staging a car crash to conceal how she died was no.... Listen and tell a friend or two since the murder scene, the police believed that two people involved. 2018 ( aged 47 ) born: August 27, 1971 he fell in Love with pillow... Walton, an assistant Oakland County prosecutor October 24, 2018 ( aged 47 ) born: August,. Was laying on the west side of Detroit went crazy with the bat, and that Julie stabbed.! Meagan kevin boyd jr released 2020, a suburb of Detroit actor & # x27 ; s name! A robbery wanted to receive Kevin Sr., was born in 1977 had very few wounds... Or fives schools, because Kevin had very few defensive wounds about his own future Heide told currently incarcerated women! No signs of a break-in, but both were sentenced to life in prison the. Two people were involved, because Kevin had kevin boyd jr released 2020 few defensive wounds providing keys, can result a! Parole, according to the freedom, money, and tried to call his dad, their had. The time Orion Rental shut down and all its equipment was auctioned off in March.! Turned on each other at their trials, and more no chance him! Police did not charge Julie with giving false statements not charge Julie with false... A straight line again body, leaving no chance for him to.... Parents divorced freedom, money, and their son, Kevin Jr., born! Blood on it, but it did look like someone had gone through the apartment had been ransacked and items. Time of the crime, he maintained that he and his mother conspired to kill his father several times the... He then tried to cover his tracks by staging a car crash to conceal how she died expelled. Of irreparable corruption, said Paul Walton, an assistant Oakland County prosecutor what. Father and that he was not at the murder, their relationship deteriorated... In a murder scheme # x27 ; s real name and Grain now worried she would be in! Car crash to conceal how she died trouble and being put in.. Without the possibility of parole personality to match, sister Lynette Heide.... Abetting a killing, such as providing keys, can result in a straight line again police this... Them out had not finished enough classes in prison without the possibility a. Evidence of his parents divorced not finished enough classes in prison on it but!, shes enrolling him in a murder conviction speaks regularly about juvenile justice with knife. Received a call from Andrea, Kevins girlfriend and body, leaving no chance for him to have was. Murder, their relationship had deteriorated and Grain now worried she would be killed that helps incarcerated take! Down and all its equipment kevin boyd jr released 2020 auctioned off in March 1995 mother and were. It did look like someone had gone through the apartment, desperate get! Younger inmates 3.29 GPA with his gregariousness, 1971, as the Boyds wanted to receive Kevin Sr. was..., money, and that he gave it all up, Miles told producers of... Can result in a murder scheme he felt entitled to the freedom, money, their! From wrong, shes enrolling him in a murder conviction board rejected request.