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Sibling Rivalry Gone Wrong: How Kevon Watkins Allegedly Killed His Sister Alexus Over WiFi

A tragic story of how a seemingly trivial disagreement escalated into a deadly act of violence.

Writer

Oct 30, 2023

In February 2018, Kevon Watkins, a 16-year-old boy, killed his sister Alexus Watkins, a 20-year-old woman, by strangling her in a fight over the family's WiFi password.

The Incident

The Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office reported that Kevon Watkins, a student from Westside High School, was fond of engaging in video games on his Xbox. On the afternoon of February 2, 2018, upon returning home from school, he altered the password to the family's WiFi network. His intention behind this action was to prevent any other household members from accessing the internet, ensuring that the connectivity speed remained optimal for his gaming activities.

Upon discovering Kevon's actions, his 13-year-old brother informed their mother, Latoya Watkins, who then confronted Kevon regarding the matter. This confrontation spiraled into a heated argument between Kevon and his mother. Fearing that the argument might escalate to physical violence against their mother, Alexus Watkins, who was present at home, intervened to shield her. This intervention led to a scuffle between Kevon and Alexus, causing them both to tumble to the floor.

The altercation intensified as Kevon secured his sister in a chokehold, maintaining this perilous grip for an estimated duration of 15 minutes. Despite the desperate attempts of his mother and brother to pry them apart, their efforts proved futile. With no other option, they resorted to dialing 911 for emergency assistance. The responding officers from the Bibb County Sheriff's Office arrived at the West Mount Road residence around 5:17 p.m., only to find Kevon still holding his sister in a chokehold, with Alexus rendered unconscious. It was only after the deputies demanded him to relinquish his grip that Kevon complied, releasing Alexus who then collapsed to the floor.

Responding officers performed CPR until emergency medical services arrived on the scene. Alexus was rushed to the medical center, and was subsequently pronounced dead.

The Trial

Kevon Watkins was arrested and booked into the Regional Youth Detention Center on Riggins Mill Road. He was charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. He waived his right to a jury trial and opted for a judge to hear his testimony and review evidence in the case instead. The trial took place over two days in August 2019.

Prosecutors stated that Kevon did not intend to kill his sister, but his decision to place her in a chokehold for at least 15 minutes is what ultimately led to her death. They argued that he had ample time to let her go after his family pleaded with him to stop, but he chose not to. A medical examiner testified that a person is declared brain dead after at least 10 minutes without oxygen.

Kevon's defense attorney claimed that he acted in self-defense and that he did not realize how much harm he was causing his sister. He said that Kevon was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intermittent explosive disorder (IED), which made him prone to impulsive and aggressive behavior. He also said that Kevon had a difficult childhood and that he loved his sister very much.

Kevon himself testified that he regretted what he did and that he wished he could take it back. He said that he changed the WiFi password because he wanted to play his game without interruption and that he didn't expect his sister to intervene. He said that he didn't mean to hurt her and that he didn't know how long he had her in a chokehold. He sobbed and apologized in court.

The Sentence

Bibb County Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin found Kevon Watkins guilty of felony murder and aggravated assault. She sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. She said that she considered his age, his mental health issues, and his remorse, but she also had to consider the gravity of his crime and the loss of his sister's life.

Alexus Watkins had a child and was engaged when she lost her life

Judge Colvin said that Kevon's actions were "intentional" and "callous" and that he showed "extreme indifference" to human life. She said that even under the best estimation, by the time the deputies arrived at the scene, it had been at least 11 minutes that Kevon had been choking his sister. She said that in those 10 minutes, she had to have stopped moving and that perhaps Kevon didn't notice that because he was still angry.

Judge Colvin also said that Kevon's case was a "horrible example" of what excessive and obsessive gaming can do to a person. She said that Kevon's addiction to his game and his disregard for his family's needs led to the tragedy. She urged him to use his time in prison to get help and to educate others about the dangers of gaming addiction.

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