Kaylah Blackmon was 18 when she and her 17-year-old boyfriend, Michael Beasley, were found shot to death inside her grey 2005 Ford Escape in Wichita, Kansas. Blackmon had graduated high school early, was working as a paraprofessional, and planned to attend beauty school. She was known for changing her hair color and for meaningful tattoos honoring her family.

The bodies were discovered in early February 2021. Beasley’s body was found February 1 in the grass beside an abandoned church; police then issued an alert seeking Kaylah and her SUV. Kaylah’s vehicle was located in an apartment complex parking lot on February 4, and she was found deceased inside. HELP had been written in dust on the dashboard. Two days after Kaylah’s body was found, police arrested 22-year-old Dontenize L. Kelly, an acquaintance of Beasley, in connection with the killings; investigators said Kelly had a prior felony conviction and was on probation, and reports indicated there had been a falling out between him and Beasley.

What information might help clarify what led to both teenagers being killed inside the vehicle?